Perception of the elderly regarding participation in exergaming-based exercise: a qualitative study/Percepcao de adultos mais velhos quanto a participacao em programa de exercicio fisico com exergames: estudo qualitativo

Exergames are active video games that monitor body movement and are being used as an alternative to increase the level of physical activity of people from different age groups. This qualitative study investigated the perceptions of the elderly regarding exergaming. The focus group (FG) was conducted after 12 weeks of performing a program of exergaming-based exercise (50 min, 3 days/week) using electronic games that simulate sports activities (Xbox 360 Kinect Sports [TM]). Fourteen people (55-77 years of age) participated in the FG, and a trained moderator led each group. The sessions were videotaped and transcribed for subsequent analysis. The content analysis technique was performed using ATLAS.ti[R] (qualitative analysis software). Participants reported psychological benefits (self-esteem, concentration, mood, reasoning, memory and well-being), physical benefits (agility and physical conditions) and social interaction (exchange of experiences, friendship and competitiveness). Regarding the experiences of the group, innovation, playfulness and visual stimulation were cited as characteristics of the games. The perception of benefits from participation in exergames fosters adherence to exercise and increases the motivation of the participants.