Jump into virtual exercises can reduce pain and falls

A study investigating the impacts of at-home step exercises with a gaming component found the activity was effective in preventing falls among people aged over 65.

The enjoyable nature of the gamified exercises leads to ongoing engagement, reduces the risk of falls and the potential cognitive decline associated with ageing, the Neuroscience Research Australia study found.

Each year in Australia, one in three people over 65 years old experience a fall.

With a steadily ageing population, falls are becoming a significant health issue that can lead to a loss of mobility and independence, the study's lead author Daina Sturnieks said.

"We've known for a long time that, if done correctly and consistently, balance challenging exercises can prevent falls," she said.

"The problem is that often people don't keep up with their exercises because they can get boring very quickly."

The experiment involving more than 750 people over the age of 65 found those who engaged with the stepping exercise game for two hours a week over the course of a year were 26 per cent less likely to experience a fall.

Gamifying exercises can also make the at-times gruelling workouts feel less so while potentially easing chronic pain, a University of South Australia clinical study suggests.

More than 3.4 million people live with chronic pain in Australia.

It is recommended that people exercise for 30 minutes at least three to five times a week, but only one in five Australians actually achieve this.

"The challenge is that there are often barriers to exercise - many find it boring, or say that it requires too much effort, or can be painful," PhD candidate Erin MacIntyre said.

By combining an exercise bike with a virtual reality headset that allowed people to control the bike's resistance, researchers found enjoyment levels climbed by 20 per cent with people exercising 15 per cent longer.

"The VR experience distracted cyclists from the exertion of exercise and made the exercise feel easier, which together contributed to increased enjoyment and engagement," Ms MacIntyre said.

"We know that exercise can play an important role in rehabilitation, often reducing pain and disability."

With about 80 per cent of people not getting the recommended amount of exercise per week, anything is going to be better than nothing, Just In Time Personal Training boss Justin Moran said.

"It doesn't matter what format that it takes, whether it's CrossFit, personal training, VR, or gimmicks, anything that gets someone exercising is positive," he told AAP.

The personal trainer of more than 20 years understands that different people respond to different types of exercises, and for the average person it can be hard to find the motivation to exercise, based on their personality.

However, one downside of being engrossed in the virtual world could be the lack of social connection otherwise achieved in exercise settings.

"We all need relationships, we need to see smiles from people and we need to interact," he said.

"If you have a perfect case of what you're trying to achieve with exercise, it should be that you're out and about enjoying the sun, getting social connection, and all of those things."

Australian Associated Press