Department of Geriatrics and Medical Gerontology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Reinickendorfer Straße 61, 13347, Berlin, Germany.
BMC Geriatr. 2023 Aug 30;23(1):527. doi: 10.1186/s12877-023-04245-x.
Lifestyle changes and physical activity can make an important contribution to reducing the risk factor for high blood pressure (BP). Whether virtual reality (VR) exergames are also appropriate and make a positive contribution to the reduction of BP has not yet been sufficiently investigated. Therefore, the aim of the study was to gain knowledge of the load intensities to be achieved during a VR exergame and to examine the short-term effects on BP.
For the preliminary study, 22 participants with hypertension over the age of 65 years were analyzed. The study took place in a mobile laboratory truck. All participants visited on two occasions. During visit 1, VR strength endurance training (VR-SET) and during visit 2, VR endurance training (VR-ET) was performed. Each VR session lasted approximately 25 min and was of a moderate intensity. Heart rate (HR) was measured across the entire session, as well as BP before and after the VR exergame. The Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and task load using NASA Task Load Index were determined after each VR session. Included in the statistical analysis were the Shapiro-Wilk test, the paired t-test, the Wilcoxon test and ANOVA for repeated measures.
During the "main part" (p < .001), at the "end" (p = .002) and for the "maximum HR" (p < .001), significant load differences between both VR sessions could be determined. In addition, significantly more participants in the VR-SET group achieved a moderate load intensity of at least 40% of heart rate reserve (p = .014). Regarding RPE, participants rated their subjectively perceived exertion significantly higher in the VR-SET than in the VR-ET (p = .028). Systolic BP decreased significantly in both VR sessions when compared before VR session and 5 min after VR session (p = .015; p = .003), as well as before VR session and 10 min after VR session (p = .018; p < .001).
An individual moderate load intensity of 40% can be reached during VR-SET. In addition, a positive short-term effect of the VR exergame on BP behavior (postexercise hypotension) was observed after both VR sessions. The preliminary results indicate that a VR exergaming could lead to blood pressure lowering effects for older people with hypertension.
The study was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS-ID: DRKS00022881, 07/09/2020, https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00022881 ).
生活方式的改变和身体活动可以为降低高血压（BP）的风险因素做出重要贡献。虚拟现实（VR）运动游戏是否也合适，是否对降低血压有积极贡献，尚未得到充分研究。因此，本研究的目的是了解 VR 运动游戏期间要达到的负荷强度，并检查对 BP 的短期影响。
在初步研究中，分析了 22 名年龄在 65 岁以上的高血压患者。研究在一辆移动实验室卡车上进行。所有参与者均在两个场合进行了访问。在访问 1 时，进行 VR 力量耐力训练（VR-SET），在访问 2 时，进行 VR 耐力训练（VR-ET）。每个 VR 会话持续约 25 分钟，强度适中。整个会话中测量心率（HR），以及 VR 运动游戏前后的血压。每次 VR 会话后，使用 NASA 任务负荷指数确定感知用力程度（RPE）和任务负荷。
在“主要部分”（p<.001）、“结束时”（p=.002）和“最大 HR”（p<.001）期间，两个 VR 会话之间可以确定明显的负荷差异。此外，VR-SET 组中有更多的参与者达到了至少 40%心率储备的中等负荷强度（p=.014）。在 RPE 方面，参与者在 VR-SET 中主观感觉到的用力明显高于 VR-ET（p=.028）。与 VR 前和 VR 后 5 分钟相比，两次 VR 会话中的收缩压均显著降低（p=.015；p=.003），与 VR 前和 VR 后 10 分钟相比，收缩压也显著降低（p=.018；p<.001）。
在 VR-SET 期间可以达到个体中等负荷强度的 40%。此外，在两次 VR 会话后，观察到 VR 运动游戏对 BP 行为（运动后低血压）的短期积极影响。初步结果表明，VR 运动游戏可能会降低高血压老年人的血压。
该研究在德国临床试验注册中心（DRKS-ID：DRKS00022881，2020 年 7 月 9 日，https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00022881）进行了注册。
