Training effects reported for stepping exergames on stepping performances in older adults often based on not comprehensively validated outcomes measures, and follow-up data on their sustainability are lacking. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of a motor-cognitive stepping exergame training on the stepping performance in older adults. Fifty-eight older adults (78.3 ± 6.5 years) participated in the randomized controlled trial with a 10-week intervention and 10-week follow-up period. The intervention group (IG: n = 29) took part in a once-weekly exercise program including strength and balance exercises supplemented with an additional stepping exergame training. The control group (CG: n = 29) only performed the strength and balance exercises. Outcome measures included stepping reaction times (SRTs) and games scores for individual stepping exergame levels and for the overall exergame performance, as measured by an assessment strategy previously validated in older adults. SRTs and/or games scores for 7 out of 10 levels and the overall exergame performance significantly improved in the IG compared to the CG during the intervention (p ≤ 0.001–0.039, ηp 2 = 0.090–0.445). Training gains were sustained for 2 levels and for the overall exergame performance (p = 0.017–0.033, ηp2 = 0.127–0.193). The study demonstrates that the additional stepping exergame training effectively and sustainably improves the performance in complex motor-cognitive stepping exergame tasks in older adults, which can be relevant for preventing falls. Future research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of such training on reducing the number of falls. ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN14855620 , 06/06/2019 (retrospectively registered).

中文翻译：

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运动认知踏步运动游戏训练对老年人踏步表现的有效性和可持续性：一项随机对照试验

据报道，踏步运动游戏对老年人踏步表现的训练效果通常基于未经全面验证的结果测量，并且缺乏关于其可持续性的后续数据。本研究的目的是评估运动认知踏步运动训练对老年人踏步表现的有效性和可持续性。58 名老年人（78.3 ± 6.5 岁）参加了为期 10 周的干预和 10 周随访期的随机对照试验。干预组（IG：n = 29）参加了每周一次的锻炼计划，包括力量和平衡锻炼，并辅以额外的踏步运动训练。对照组（CG：n = 29）只进行力量和平衡练习。结果测量包括跨步反应时间 (SRT) 和个人踏步运动水平和整体运动表现的游戏分数，这是通过先前在老年人中验证的评估策略来衡量的。与干预期间的 CG 相比，10 个级别中有 7 个的 SRT 和/或游戏得分和整体运动游戏表现在 IG 中显着提高（p ≤ 0.001–0.039，ηp 2 = 0.090–0.445）。训练增益持续了 2 个级别和整体运动游戏表现（p = 0.017–0.033，ηp2 = 0.127–0.193）。该研究表明，额外的步进运动游戏训练有效且可持续地提高了老年人在复杂的运动认知步进运动游戏任务中的表现，这可能与预防跌倒有关。未来的研究需要评估此类培训在减少跌倒次数方面的有效性。ISRCTN 注册，ISRCTN14855620，06/06/2019（追溯注册）。