Edu-Exergames: Emerging technologies for supporting the healthy aging for older adults

2^nd International Conference on Sports Medicine and Fitness

April 18-20, 2016 Dubai, UAE

Francesco Sgro

Kore University of Enna, Italy

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Sports Med Doping Stud

Abstract :

The promotion of physical activity in old age has become increasingly important in a society characterized by a significant increase in life span. However, there are many scientific evidences and institutional testifying that numerically limited older adults adopted a physically active lifestyle. In this scenario, emerging technologies in the entertainment domain seem to be useful in order to promote a healthy aging process and to change the negative trend relative to the levels of physical activity in all age groups, including the elderly. In this scenario the exergames are serious games where the players need to move their body for interacting with the virtual game. The exergames are safe and feasible, and their players resulted with an increase on their physical activity levels. These technologies have been proposed for supporting a regular daily exercise, post-stoke rehabilitation, heart failure and depression prevention in older adults. Moreover, several controllers used by these games have been investigated as clinical tools for assessing movement skills as sit-to-stand and postural stability. The edu-exergames target specific serious games where the standard games are improved with set of exercises aiming to promote the fundamental movement skill over life span. These emerging technologies support the promotion of physical activity in old age and are indicated as in-filed low-cost assessment instruments.

Biography :

Email: francesco.sgro@unikore.it