Evaluating Rehabilitative Exergame Exercises for Foot Muscle Activation, Balance, and Mobility in Older Adults Using Electromyography and Postural Sway

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate the effects of rehabilitative exergame exercises on foot muscle activity, balance, and mobility in healthy older adults aged 65 to 80 years living in nursing homes and rehabilitation centers. The study is a randomized controlled trial including 40 participants who will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. It addresses the concern of age-related declines in physical mobility and balance that increase fall risk, exploring new interactive exercise methods combined with cognitive engagement. Participants in the intervention group will receive supervised exergame-based balance and foot muscle training sessions twice a week for eight weeks, with each session lasting 40 minutes including warm-up and cool-down periods. The control group will receive supervised conventional functional balance training with similar session duration and frequency. Both interventions focus on improving postural control, muscle activation, balance, and mobility through different exercise approaches. Throughout the study, participants will undergo assessments before and after the intervention, including cognitive and functional tests, surface electromyography sEMG during the Functional Reach Test to measure muscle activity, and biomechanical measurements using inertial sensors and force plates. Data will be analyzed to identify potential electrophysiological and biomechanical biomarkers related to balance and exercise outcomes. The total duration of participation is approximately eight weeks, with ongoing monitoring and evaluation of outcomes.

Effects of Rehabilitative Exergame Training on Foot Muscle Activity, Balance, and Mobility in Older Adults