Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26974212›Full record

SynthesisJournal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)

Active Video Games for Improving Physical Performance Measures in Older People: A Meta-analysis.

Lynne M Taylor, Ngaire Kerse, Tara Frakking, Ralph Maddison

Registry-linked trialOpen access · greenAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001). The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07024004 (Effects of Active Exergames Program on Muscle Strength, Lower Limb Muscle Mass and Physical Fitness in Older Adults at Risk of Falls), which is not on this map. Cited by 36 papers, 12 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
36citing papers in PubMed, 12 pooled it
2.5field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07024004 naactive not recruitingnot on this map

Effects of Active Exergames Program on Muscle Strength, Lower Limb Muscle Mass and Physical Fitness in Older Adults at Risk of Falls

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversidad Catolica Silva HenriquezRan2025 to 2025Enrolled52ConditionsRisk of FallsArmsExergame-Based Exercise + Conventional Physical Therapy, Conventional Physical Therapy
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

36 citing papers in PubMed, 12 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 84 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Lynne M TaylorNational Institute for Health Innovation, the University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Ngaire KerseGeneral Practice and Primary Health Care, the University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Tara FrakkingThe University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Ralph MaddisonNational Institute for Health Innovation, the University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Auckland University of Technology · NZUniversity of Groningen · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

background and purposeParticipation in regular physical activity is associated with better physical function in older people (>65 years); however, older people are the least active of all age groups. Exercise-based active video games (AVGs) offer an alternative to traditional exercise programs aimed at maintaining or enhancing physical performance measures in older people. This review systematically evaluated whether AVGs could improve measures of physical performance in older people. Secondary measures of safety, game appeal, and usability were also considered.

methodsElectronic databases were searched for randomized controlled trials published up to April 2015. Included were trials with 2 or more arms that evaluated the effect of AVGs on outcome measures of physical performance in older people.

resultsEighteen randomized controlled trials (n = 765) were included. Most trials limited inclusion to healthy community-dwelling older people. With the exception of 1 trial, all AVG programs were supervised. Using meta-analyses, AVGs were found to be more effective than conventional exercise (mean difference [MD], 4.33; 95% confidence intervals [CIs], 2.93-5.73) or no intervention (MD, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.17-1.29) for improving Berg Balance scores in community-dwelling older people. Active video games were also more effective than control for improving 30-second sit-to-stand scores (MD, 3.99; 95% CI, 1.92-6.05). No significant differences in Timed Up and Go scores were found when AVGs were compared with no intervention or with conventional exercise.

conclusionsActive video games can improve measures of mobility and balance in older people when used either on their own or as part of an exercise program. It is not yet clear whether AVGs are equally suitable for older people with significant cognitive impairments or balance or mobility limitations. Given the positive findings to date, consideration could be given to further development of age-appropriate AVGs for use by older people with balance or mobility limitations.

Indexed as

ExerciseVideo GamesAgedFemaleHumansIndependent LivingMaleMobility LimitationPhysical Functional PerformancePostural BalanceRandomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Identifiers

PMID26974212
PMCPMC5895114
OpenAlexW2302312511

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.