SynthesisFrontiers in psychology2023
Commercial exergames for rehabilitation of physical health and quality of life: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials with adults in unsupervised home environments.
Synthesis in Frontiers in psychology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.
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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.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 22 citations in OpenAlex.
- Exergame enjoyment using various devices and awareness of their use for physical activity and health improvement among young adults.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2026Article
- A Gamified Pain Management Intervention for Adults With Chronic Pain in Mainland China: Single-Arm Pre-Post Pilot Study With Machine Learning Predictive Modeling.JMIR formative research · 2026Article
- Virtual Reality Exergaming in Outpatient Stroke Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review and Clinician Roadmap.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- Mapping Hot Spots and Global Research Trends in Exergaming Between 1997 and 2024: Bibliometric Analysis.Interactive journal of medical research · 2025Article
- Domain-Specific Evaluation of Exergame Metrics Among Older Adults With Mild Neurocognitive Disorder: Secondary Analysis of 2 Randomized Controlled Trials.JMIR serious games · 2025Article
- Exploring Virtual Reality and Exercise Simulator Interventions in Patients With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Comprehensive Literature Review.JMIR serious games · 2025Review
- Learning about depression by watching gaming videos: a case study on the potential of digital games for psychoeducation and destigmatization.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- PEMOCS: effects of a concept-guided, PErsonalized, MOtor-Cognitive exergame training on cognitive functions and gait in chronic Stroke-a randomized, controlled trial.Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 2025Article
- Head-Mounted Displays for Upper Limb Stroke Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Commercial exergames are widely available tools that can support physical rehabilitation at home. However, the effects of the unsupervised use of commercial exergames in home environments are not yet clear. Hence, we provide a systematic review on the effects of unsupervised commercial exergaming at home on adults' physical health (RQ1) and quality of life (RQ2). We also scrutinize adults' experiences with exergaming at home regarding participant support, adherence, and adverse outcomes (RQ3). Methods: We searched Web of Science, PsycINFO, PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL for peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials with adults in need of rehabilitation. Overall, 20 studies (1,558 participants, 1,368 analyzed) met our inclusion criteria. The quality of evidence was assessed with the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results: Effects of unsupervised commercial exergaming at home on physical health were higher in seven studies and similar in five studies regarding the respective comparison or control conditions; eight studies reported non-significant findings. Of the 15 studies that also examined effects on quality of life, improvements were higher in seven studies and similar in two studies regarding the respective comparison or control conditions; results were non-significant in six studies. Participant support consisted of setup of the exergaming system, instructions, training, and contact with participants. Adherence was high in eight studies, moderate in six studies, and low in one study. Adverse outcomes related to exergaming were found in four studies and were at most moderate. Concerning the quality of evidence, six studies were related to a high risk of bias due to outcome reporting bias or ceiling effects in the primary outcome. Additionally, 10 studies yielded some concerns, and four studies were related to a low risk of bias. Discussion: This systematic review summarizes promising evidence that the unsupervised use of commercial exergames can support and complement rehabilitation measures in home environments. Still, future studies based on larger samples and using more recent commercial exergames are needed to obtain more high-quality evidence on the effects of different exercise prescriptions. Overall, considering the necessary precautions, the unsupervised use of commercial exergames at home can improve the physical health and quality of life in adults with needs for physical rehabilitation. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022341189, identifier: PROSPERO, Registration number: CRD42022341189.
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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.