ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Sports Act. Living
Sec. Sports Science, Technology and Engineering
Healthy community-living older adults' experiences with using a specially adapted virtual reality exercise game to promote physical activity – A pilot study
Provisionally accepted
- 1Universitetet i Bergen, Bergen, Norway
- 2CatoSenteret, son, Norway
- 3Nasjonalt senter for aldring og helse, Tønsberg, Norway
- 4Hogskulen pa Vestlandet, Bergen, Norway
- 5OsloMet - storbyuniversitetet Fakultet for helsevitenskap, Oslo, Norway
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Background: Immersive technologies such as virtual reality (VR) that has been developed the recent years, are now increasingly accessible and offers new opportunities for VR environments combined with games that may enhance physical activity. However, these games may require adaptation and further customization for use among older users. In this pilot study, we investigate the experiences of older adults using a head-mounted VR exercise game that was developed in close collaboration with end users. Methods: We included ten community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older who undertook six VR exercise sessions across a two-week period, each session lasting 15 minutes. Descriptive information included age, gender, mobility (Timed Up and Go test, TUG), and gait speed (10-meter walk test), and daily steps from ankle-worn accelerometers. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted, transcribed verbatim and analyzed by use of reflexive thematic analysis. Results: We included four men and six women, age range from 66 to 77 years, with an average gait speed of 1.4 m/sec and an average TUG-time of 7.6 seconds. Their average activity levels were close to 4200 steps per day. After the trial period, participants' experiences were that VR is a new and exciting development. They found VR to be more of a game than exercise, and they suggested integrating more challenging activities, physical movement and social engagement to enhance the exercise part of the game. They did not feel that the game facilitated any more physical activity in their daily lives. Discussion/conclusion: VR is a promising tool that older adults in this trial enjoyed, but the game was not physically demanding enough for the participants. Future adaptations should include more challenges. Game development should focus on tasks that keep players interested and engaged over longer times, without jeopardizing safety.
Keywords: virtual reality, Exercise, Game, older adults, Qualitative
Received: 14 Jul 2025; Accepted: 13 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Bogen, Moum Hellevik, Tangen, Bovim, Øye and Taraldsen. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Bård Bogen, bard.erik.bogen@hvl.no
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