Skip to main content

Virtual Fitness Trail: A Complete Program for Elderlies to Perform Physical Activity at Home

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNIP,volume 12242))

Abstract

This paper presents a Virtual Reality (VR) exergame, Virtual Fitness Trail (VFT), designed to encourage the elderly to regularly exercise in an engaging and safe way staying at home. VFT provides a highly immersive physical activity experiences in first-person perspective and it has been developed to run on Oculus Quest head mounted display. The exergame proposes four activities involving the main muscles of the legs and arms, as well as stabilizing balance and reflexes: monkey bar, side raises, basketball shot and slalom between beams. Each activity has four difficulty level and has been designed to minimize the perception of self-motion so as to reduce the cybersickness arise. The user’s performances are saved in .json file and it can be shared, via email, with the caregiver at the end of the exergame session. The application is a prototype and needs to be tested and validated before proposing it for autonomous physical activity at home.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   69.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   89.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Carone, G., Costello, D.: Can Europe afford to grow old? Financ. Dev. 43, 28–31 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Manfredi, G., Midão, L., Paúl, C., Cena, C., Duarte, M., Costa, E.: Prevalence of frailty status among the European elderly population: Findings from the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe. Geriatr. Gerontol. Int. 19, 723–729 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1111/ggi.13689

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Eurostat - Data Explorer/ http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/submitViewTableAction.do

  4. Oxley, H.: Policies for healthy ageing: an overview. Oecd heal. Work. Pap. 0_1–4,6-30 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1787/226757488706

  5. Divo, M.J., Martinez, C.H., Mannino, D.M.: Ageing and the epidemiology of multimorbidity. Eur. Respir. J. 44, 1055–1068 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1183/09031936.00059814

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Kalache, A., Gatti, A.: Active ageing: a policy framework. Adv. Gerontol. 11, 7–18 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Bauman, A., Merom, D., Bull, F., Buchner, D., Singh, M.: Updating the evidence for physical activity: summative reviews of the epidemiological evidence, prevalence, and interventions to promote “active aging”. Gerontologist 56, 268–280 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Geffken, D.F., Cushman, M., Burke, G.L., Polak, J.F., Sakkinen, P.A., Tracy, R.P.: Association between physical activity and markers of inflammation in a healthy elderly population. Am. J. Epidemiol. 153, 242–250 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/153.3.242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Laurin, D., Verreault, R., Lindsay, J., MacPherson, K., Rockwood, K.: Physical activity and risk of cognitive impairment and dementia in elderly persons. Arch. Neurol. 58, 498–504 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.58.3.498

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Shephard, R.J.: Exercise and aging: extending independence in older adults (1993)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Garber, C.E., et al.: Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults: Guidance for prescribing exercise. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 43, 1334–1359 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e318213fefb

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Nilsen, C., Lamura, G., Harper, S.H.: Inequalities in active aging: a european perspective. Innov. Aging 1, 761–762 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1093/GERONI/IGX004.2758

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Sá Glauber, B., et al.: Impact of functional home training on postural balance and functional mobility in the elderlies. J. Exerc. Physiol. online. 22(4), 46–57 (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Lourenço, C.B., Azeff, L., Sveistrup, H., Levin, M.F.: Effect of environment on motivation and sense of presence in healthy subjects performing reaching tasks. In: 2008 Virtual Rehabilitation, IWVR, pp. 93–98. IEEE Computer Society (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Steuer, J.: Defining virtual reality: dimensions determining telepresence. J. Commun. 42, 73–93 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1992.tb00812.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. W, S., A, B.: The Use of Virtual Reality Technologies during Physiotherapy of the Paretic Upper Limb in Patients after Ischemic Stroke. J. Neurol. Neurosci. 06, (2015). https://doi.org/10.21767/2171-6625.100033

  17. Maclean, N., Pound, P.: A critical review of the concept of patient motivation in the literature on physical rehabilitation (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Rendon, A.A., Lohman, E.B., Thorpe, D., Johnson, E.G., Medina, E., Bradley, B.: The effect of virtual reality gaming on dynamic balance in older adults. Age Ageing 41, 549–552 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afs053

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Colombo, V., Mondellini, M., Gandolfo, A., Fumagalli, A., Sacco, M.: Usability and acceptability of a virtual reality-based system for endurance training in elderly with chronic respiratory diseases. In: Bourdot, P., Interrante, V., Nedel, L., Magnenat-Thalmann, N., Zachmann, G. (eds.) EuroVR 2019. LNCS, vol. 11883, pp. 87–96. Springer, Cham (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-31908-3_6

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  20. Anderson, F., Annett, M., Bischof, W.F.: Lean on Wii: Physical rehabilitation with virtua reality Wii peripherals. In: Studies in Health Technology and Informatics, pp. 229–234. IOS Press (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Agmon, M., Perry, C.K., Phelan, E., Demiris, G., Nguyen, H.Q.: A pilot study of Wii Fit exergames to improve balance in older adults. J. Geriatr. Phys. Ther. 34, 161–167 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1519/JPT.0b013e3182191d98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Lotan, M., Yalon-Chamovitz, S., Weiss, P.L.T.: Virtual reality as means to improve physical fitness of individuals at a severe level of intellectual and developmental disability. Res. Dev. Disabil. 31, 869–874 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2010.01.010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Schubert, T., Friedmann, F., Regenbrecht, H.: The experience of presence: factor analytic insights. Presence Teleoperators Virtual Environ. 10, 266–281 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1162/105474601300343603

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Cano Porras, D., Siemonsma, P., Inzelberg, R., Zeilig, G., Plotnik, M.: Advantages of virtual reality in the rehabilitation of balance and gait: systematic review. Neurology 90, 1017–1025 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000005603

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Arlati, S., et al.: A virtual reality-based physical and cognitive training system aimed at preventing symptoms of dementia. In: Perego, P., Rahmani, A.M., TaheriNejad, N. (eds.) MobiHealth 2017. LNICST, vol. 247, pp. 117–125. Springer, Cham (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98551-0_14

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  26. Kizony, R., Weiss, P.L., Shahar, M.: TheraGame: a home based virtual reality rehabilitation system. Int. J. Disabil. Hum. Dev. 5, 265–270 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1515/IJDHD.2006.5.3.265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Robert, M.T., Ballaz, L., Lemay, M.: The effect of viewing a virtual environment through a head-mounted display on balance. Gait Posture 48, 261–266 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2016.06.010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Rizzo, A., Kim, G.J.: A SWOT analysis of the field of virtual reality rehabilitation and therapy. Presence Teleoperators Virtual Environ. 14, 119–146 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1162/1054746053967094

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Ferche, O.-M., Moldoveanu, A., Moldoveanu, F., Voinea, A., Asavei, V., Negoi, I.: Challenges and issues for successfully applying virtual reality in medical rehabilitation. eLearning Softw. Educ. 1, 494–501 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  30. Phungdee, T., Wattanathamrong, V., Sirisopon, N.: The effectiveness of strengthening leg muscles physical exercise promotion program for preventing falls of the elderlies in Thailand. Interdiscip. Res. Rev. 15, 19–23 (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  31. Venkatesh, V., Davis, F.D.: Theoretical extension of the technology acceptance model: four longitudinal field studies. Manage. Sci. 46, 186–204 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.46.2.186.11926

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Ryan, R.M., Deci, E.L.: Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. Am. Psychol. 55, 68–78 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Steuer, J.: Defining virtual reality: dimensions determining telepresence. J. Commun. 42, 73–93 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1992.tb00812.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Mousavi, M., Jen, Y.H., Musa, S.N.B.: A review on cybersickness and usability in virtual environments. Adv. Eng. Forum 10, 34–39 (2013). https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AEF.10.34

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marta Mondellini .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Mondellini, M., Sacco, M., Greci, L. (2020). Virtual Fitness Trail: A Complete Program for Elderlies to Perform Physical Activity at Home. In: De Paolis, L., Bourdot, P. (eds) Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and Computer Graphics. AVR 2020. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 12242. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58465-8_12

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58465-8_12

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-58464-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-58465-8

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics