Effect of virtual running with exercise on functionality in pre-frail and frail elderly people: randomized clinical trial.

Plain Language Summary

Frailty is caused by accumulated age-related deficits in older persons. It has negative consequences on the individual’s overall physical health, muscle tone alteration and weakness, impaired coordination or increased fatigue, which leads to reduced mobility and functionality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a virtual running (VR) treatment combined with specific physical gait exercise (PE) compared to placebo VR treatment combined with PE, on functionality, pain and muscular tone in pre-frail and frail elderly people. This study was a single-blinded, two-arm, randomised controlled trial. The study included 38 pre-frail and frail elderly people, 19 allocated to intervention group and 19 allocated to control group. Results showed that the participants in the control group failed to achieve significant functional improvements. On the other hand, when mirror neuron-based therapy was applied in the intervention group, an overall improvement in voluntary movement-related capacities was achieved (i.e., aerobic capacity, functional lower-limb strength, and reaction time), except for gait performance and velocity, standing-up power, and sitting-to-standing and standing-to-sitting times. Authors concluded that neuron system activation through VR therapy can improve voluntary movement-related capacities (i.e., aerobic capacity, functional lower-limb strength, and reaction time) and pain, while VR therapy has no effect on capacities and characteristics associated with involuntary movement (i.e., static balance and muscle tone and stiffness) in frail and pre-frail people.