The Exergame: A Promising Rehabilitation Tool for Physical Therapy
What is an exergame? What is the concept behind it?
Exergaming is a recent phenomenon in the fitness and rehab industries, which is a wonderful combination of exercise and video games. This gaming therapy creates an engaging gaming experience for individuals and encourages physical activity. Thus, an exergame can be broadly defined as a proactive video game involving a whole or part body work out or therapy routine.
Exergaming involves technology that monitors body movements and motivates individuals to become physically active. It promotes adherence to physical activities and helps combat conventional exercise barriers, making it a promising and supportive rehabilitation tool. Exergaming, a technology-driven gaming therapy, is a stepping stone in ensuring that no individual is deprived of rehabilitation services.
Significance of The Exergame
According to the World Health Organization, over 2.4 billion people across the globe are living with health conditions that can be improved with rehabilitation. Cerebral Palsy, Stroke recovery, traumatic brain injury, and other neurological disorders, are some of the many health conditions that can be improved with the aid of targetted rehabilitation activities. Unfortunately, more than 50% of people suffering from these conditions are not receiving essential rehabilitation services.
The good thing is that researchers have come up with a simple yet powerful solution that enhances the accessibility of rehabilitation services to all individuals in need: The Exergame. The radical new form of exercise that is playful, interactive and engaging. It not only helps individuals overcome conventional exercise barriers but also their adherence to physical therapyy exercises.
In short, exergaming is a gaming therapy that improves functional mobility .It is a new option for individuals looking for a solution for their physical rehabilitation needs.
Potential Health Benefits of Exergaming in Rehabilitation
Although there's limited research proving the efficiency of exergaming in patients improving individual adherence to physical activities, existing scientific studies demonstrate that this gaming therapy can enhance the benefits of rehabilitation therapy.
The potential health benefits of gaming therapy are as follows:
- An exergame is a dual task requiring motor and cognitive coordination simultaneously. As a gaming therapy, it triggers cognitive regions of the brain and elevates sensorial flow, enhancing executive function. All these mechanisms stimulate neuroplasticity and alleviate the symptoms of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease, dementia, etc.
- Compared to traditional exercise, exergaming demonstrates greater adherence and improvements in rehabilitation. It is a good novel choice for long-term rehabilitation programs.
- Exergaming is a feasible and effective rehabilitation tool for individuals with Parkinson’s disorder (PD). Although extensive research is yet to be done on the safety and efficacy of gaming therapy in PD, one scientific study revealed that exergaming rehabilitates motor functions significantly in PD patients.
- Exergaming promotes physical activity in individuals, which in turn helps fight obesity and overcome sedentary lifestyles.
- Exergaming is a powerful tool in stress management. This gaming therapy enhances anxiety levels and promotes effective stress management.
- The energy spent during exergaming is much higher than in conventional physical activities. As a result, the individual's heart rate and the amount of oxygen consumed by the body during exercise (VO2) increases. High levels of VO2 is crucial for cardiorespiratory fitness, lowering the risk of death due to cardiovascular disorders.
- Exergaming leads to a significant difference in the mean heart rate reserve (HRrest or HRR). Therefore, HRrest is an indication to determine an individual's overall HRR cardiovascular fitness.
- Exergaming offers similar health benefits as jogging. Its physiological effects, such as lowered blood glucose levels, are equal in both traditional exercising and exergaming. In addition, exergaming improves insulin sensitivity in diabetic patients, aiding in glucose control.
- Deterioration in functional capabilities is a significant indication of ageing. Loss of mobility in older adults often leads to disability and loss of independence, thereby impacting the quality of life. Older adults' risk of further deterioration increases if their physical activity is too low. Exergaming technology benefits older adults in coping with their cognitive and physical needs.
- The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has recommended guidelines for fitness and health. Exergaming causes a significant increase in energy expenditure (EE) levels and is thus one of the best ways to achieve the ACSM-recommended fitness standards.
LusioMATE — A Physical Rehabilitation Tool!
If you’re looking for a rehabilitation tool that can connect with a lot of fun exergames, then check out LusioMate.
LusioMATE is a physical therapy ecosystem app with wearable sensors. The sensors attach to any part of the body and connect via bluetooth to an ever growing number of FUN exergames created to entertain and motivate Players through their tailor made PT programs It’s ideal for individuals of all age groups looking for motivation to help them achieve their physical therapy and movement goals. IIn addition, it offers 100% remote monitoring and tracking capacity, thereby making it an ideal choice for home or telerehabilitation programs.
The key highlights of LusioMATE gaming therapy are:
- Boosts the enthusiasm of an individual in accomplishing movement goals
- Ensures strong adherence to the program
- Facilitates remote monitoring by clinicians and therapists
- Compact and portable
- Suitable for individuals of all age groups – children, adolescents, adults and older adults
- Helps alleviate various health conditions, including developmental disability, autism, PD, etc.
If you are searching for an innovative way to assist with your rehabilitation needs, your search ends with LusioMATE.
For more details about this app, contact us today.
