{"id":{"repo_id":"penn","oai_identifier":"oai:repository.upenn.edu:20.500.14332/31884"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/penn/oai:repository.upenn.edu:20.500.14332/31884","repository":{"repo_id":"penn","name":"University of Pennsylvania","base_url":"https://repository.upenn.edu/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Cardiovascular Effects and Enjoyment of Exer-Gaming in Older Adults","abstract":"Background: A physically active lifestyle provides a variety of health benefits. However, physical activity may decline with age. Currently, there are 40 million older adults, representing 13.1% of the population in the United States. National surveys report that only 30% of older adults perform adequate amounts of physical activity. The lack of daily physical activity (PA) can lead to an increased risk of chronic disease. Exer-gaming (EG) has been successful in increasing PA in children and young adults in a fun and enjoyable manner, but the use of EG with older adults has not been well studied. Purpose: To quantify the cardiovascular responses, the enjoyment, and the untoward physical discomforts to a 15 minute trial of EG (Nintendo Wii Tennis) in healthy, older adults. Methods: A quasi-experimental design using a convenience sample of 34 self-reported healthy older adults from an independent living retirement community in Southeastern Pennsylvania completed the study. Serial measurements of heart rate, blood pressures (systolic, diastolic, and mean), rate-pressure product, and perceived exertion were taken at 5 minute intervals beginning at rest, standing, playing Wii tennis and post play recovery. Enjoyment was measured post Wii play and a 48 hour post questionnaire was provided. Analysis of the data included the use of descriptive statistics and general linear modeling of repeated measures. Results: 15 minutes of exercise gaming (Nintendo Wii Tennis), moderately increased heart rate (p<0.001), blood pressures (p<0.001) and perceived exertion (p<0.0001) compared to rest. This level of activity corresponded to an age predicted maximum heart rate range of 64%. No differences in cardiovascular variables occurred between genders. Beta-blockade suppressed the heart rate and rate pressure product. All subjects completed EG tennis without reporting fatigue with 86% enjoying the experience with few physical discomforts and arrhythmias. Conclusions: Nintendo Wii EG technology (tennis) induces a moderate intensity cardiovascular stress in an overall enjoyable manner among health, older adults.","abstract_html":"Background: A physically active lifestyle provides a variety of health benefits. However, physical activity may decline with age. Currently, there are 40 million older adults, representing 13.1% of the population in the United States. National surveys report that only 30% of older adults perform adequate amounts of physical activity. The lack of daily physical activity (PA) can lead to an increased risk of chronic disease. Exer-gaming (EG) has been successful in increasing PA in children and young adults in a fun and enjoyable manner, but the use of EG with older adults has not been well studied. Purpose: To quantify the cardiovascular responses, the enjoyment, and the untoward physical discomforts to a 15 minute trial of EG (Nintendo Wii Tennis) in healthy, older adults. Methods: A quasi-experimental design using a convenience sample of 34 self-reported healthy older adults from an independent living retirement community in Southeastern Pennsylvania completed the study. Serial measurements of heart rate, blood pressures (systolic, diastolic, and mean), rate-pressure product, and perceived exertion were taken at 5 minute intervals beginning at rest, standing, playing Wii tennis and post play recovery. Enjoyment was measured post Wii play and a 48 hour post questionnaire was provided. Analysis of the data included the use of descriptive statistics and general linear modeling of repeated measures. Results: 15 minutes of exercise gaming (Nintendo Wii Tennis), moderately increased heart rate (p&lt;0.001), blood pressures (p&lt;0.001) and perceived exertion (p&lt;0.0001) compared to rest. This level of activity corresponded to an age predicted maximum heart rate range of 64%. No differences in cardiovascular variables occurred between genders. Beta-blockade suppressed the heart rate and rate pressure product. All subjects completed EG tennis without reporting fatigue with 86% enjoying the experience with few physical discomforts and arrhythmias. Conclusions: Nintendo Wii EG technology (tennis) induces a moderate intensity cardiovascular stress in an overall enjoyable manner among health, older adults.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Fachko, Michael John"],"institution":null,"degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Joseph R. Libonati"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-01-01","date_published":"2012-01-01","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:46:44Z","subjects":[],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Michael John Fachko"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://repository.upenn.edu/handle/20.500.14332/31884","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Joseph R. Libonati"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Fachko, Michael John"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2023-05-17T09:10:20.000"]},{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2023-05-22T18:27:45Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2013-06-20T00:00:00Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2012-01-01"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Dissertation/Thesis"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Michael John Fachko"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://repository.upenn.edu/handle/20.500.14332/31884"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Background: A physically active lifestyle provides a variety of health benefits. However, physical activity may decline with age. Currently, there are 40 million older adults, representing 13.1% of the population in the United States. National surveys report that only 30% of older adults perform adequate amounts of physical activity. The lack of daily physical activity (PA) can lead to an increased risk of chronic disease. Exer-gaming (EG) has been successful in increasing PA in children and young adults in a fun and enjoyable manner, but the use of EG with older adults has not been well studied. Purpose: To quantify the cardiovascular responses, the enjoyment, and the untoward physical discomforts to a 15 minute trial of EG (Nintendo Wii Tennis) in healthy, older adults. Methods: A quasi-experimental design using a convenience sample of 34 self-reported healthy older adults from an independent living retirement community in Southeastern Pennsylvania completed the study. Serial measurements of heart rate, blood pressures (systolic, diastolic, and mean), rate-pressure product, and perceived exertion were taken at 5 minute intervals beginning at rest, standing, playing Wii tennis and post play recovery. Enjoyment was measured post Wii play and a 48 hour post questionnaire was provided. Analysis of the data included the use of descriptive statistics and general linear modeling of repeated measures. Results: 15 minutes of exercise gaming (Nintendo Wii Tennis), moderately increased heart rate (p<0.001), blood pressures (p<0.001) and perceived exertion (p<0.0001) compared to rest. This level of activity corresponded to an age predicted maximum heart rate range of 64%. No differences in cardiovascular variables occurred between genders. Beta-blockade suppressed the heart rate and rate pressure product. All subjects completed EG tennis without reporting fatigue with 86% enjoying the experience with few physical discomforts and arrhythmias. Conclusions: Nintendo Wii EG technology (tennis) induces a moderate intensity cardiovascular stress in an overall enjoyable manner among health, older adults."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},{"key":"dc:format.mimetype","label":"Dc Format Mimetype","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Cardiovascular Effects and Enjoyment of Exer-Gaming in Older Adults"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Joseph R. Libonati"],"dc:creator":["Fachko, Michael John"],"dc:date":["2023-05-17T09:10:20.000"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2023-05-22T18:27:45Z"],"dc:date.available":["2013-06-20T00:00:00Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2012-01-01"],"dc:description.abstract":["Background: A physically active lifestyle provides a variety of health benefits. However, physical activity may decline with age. Currently, there are 40 million older adults, representing 13.1% of the population in the United States. National surveys report that only 30% of older adults perform adequate amounts of physical activity. The lack of daily physical activity (PA) can lead to an increased risk of chronic disease. Exer-gaming (EG) has been successful in increasing PA in children and young adults in a fun and enjoyable manner, but the use of EG with older adults has not been well studied. Purpose: To quantify the cardiovascular responses, the enjoyment, and the untoward physical discomforts to a 15 minute trial of EG (Nintendo Wii Tennis) in healthy, older adults. Methods: A quasi-experimental design using a convenience sample of 34 self-reported healthy older adults from an independent living retirement community in Southeastern Pennsylvania completed the study. Serial measurements of heart rate, blood pressures (systolic, diastolic, and mean), rate-pressure product, and perceived exertion were taken at 5 minute intervals beginning at rest, standing, playing Wii tennis and post play recovery. Enjoyment was measured post Wii play and a 48 hour post questionnaire was provided. Analysis of the data included the use of descriptive statistics and general linear modeling of repeated measures. Results: 15 minutes of exercise gaming (Nintendo Wii Tennis), moderately increased heart rate (p<0.001), blood pressures (p<0.001) and perceived exertion (p<0.0001) compared to rest. This level of activity corresponded to an age predicted maximum heart rate range of 64%. No differences in cardiovascular variables occurred between genders. Beta-blockade suppressed the heart rate and rate pressure product. All subjects completed EG tennis without reporting fatigue with 86% enjoying the experience with few physical discomforts and arrhythmias. Conclusions: Nintendo Wii EG technology (tennis) induces a moderate intensity cardiovascular stress in an overall enjoyable manner among health, older adults."],"dc:description.degree":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"],"dc:format.mimetype":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://repository.upenn.edu/handle/20.500.14332/31884"],"dc:language":["en"],"dc:rights":["Michael John Fachko"],"dc:title":["Cardiovascular Effects and Enjoyment of Exer-Gaming in Older Adults"],"dc:type":["Dissertation/Thesis"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:46:44Z"}