Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40823593›Full record

ArticleCurrent research in physiology2025

Muscle activity of the lower extremities during exergames with varying movement demands in older adults (Registered Report - Stage I).

Thomas C Kosiolek, Dirk Möller, Eleftheria Giannouli

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Current research in physiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

3 authors.

Thomas C KosiolekFaculty of Business and Social Sciences, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, Albrechtstr. 30, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany.
Dirk MöllerFaculty of Business and Social Sciences, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, Albrechtstr. 30, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany.
Eleftheria GiannouliDepartment of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Leopold-Ruzicka-Weg 4, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: This study examines lower-leg muscle activity during four exergames with varying movement demands in older adults. A secondary objective is to compare individual muscle activity across the exergames. Background: Exergaming, which combines physical exercise with interactive video games, is increasingly used in older adults' rehabilitation, improving balance, strength, and cognitive function. Prior research suggests that different exergames engage specific motor functions. However, the activity of key lower-leg muscles-critical for balance-has not been systematically analyzed across exergames with varying movement demands (e.g., weight shifts, multidirectional steps, stepping in place, and walking). Methods: This cross-sectional study investigates muscle activity of the M. tibialis anterior, M. gastrocnemius, and M. soleus during four exergames using surface EMG. Muscle activity is quantified as Root Mean Square (RMS 100) values and normalized to the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). Exergames are performed on the Dividat Senso platform, each emphasizing different movement patterns: multidirectional stepping, balance shifting, stepping in place, and whole-platform stepping. Thirty older adults (≥65 years) with no major functional or cognitive impairments (SPPB ≥7, MoCA ≥26) will be recruited. Exclusion criteria include severe motor impairments, mobility restrictions, extreme visual impairments, unstable cardiovascular conditions, or language barriers. Muscle activity will be compared across exergames using Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA), followed by univariate ANOVAs to identify specific differences. Potential significance: This study will identify muscle-specific activity patterns during exergames, informing targeted rehabilitation and exergame design. Findings may improve training strategies for balance enhancement and fall prevention in older adults, with potential benefits for healthcare cost reduction and quality of life.

Indexed as

AgingBalance trainingElectromyographySerious gamesSurface EMG

Identifiers

PMID40823593
PMCPMC12356381

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

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.