Exergaming Improves Motor Control

July 19th, 2016

exergaming (combining exercise with technology) may boost players’ ability to coordinate incoming visual information with motor control, a skill needed for many real-world behaviors including driving, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. “Our research shows that playing easily accessible action video games for as little as 5 hours can be a cost-effective tool to help people improve essential visuomotor-control skills used for driving,” says researcher Li Li of New York University Shanghai, lead author on the study. The research goes on to further state, “Experience playing some types of video games has been shown to confer benefits for specific visual abilities, such as sensitivity to contrast and visuospatial attention. Despite the fact that many video games place high demands on visuomotor abilities, little research had investigated whether playing such games was associated with visuomotor control.” As the founder of Fitness for Health, a therapeutic, exercise facility working with children through senior citizens in the Washington, DC, area, I have seen firsthand the power of exergaming and technology to improve hand-eye coordination and even weight management in all age groups – while having fun. I’ve seen the positive effects firsthand for both kids and adults.  It’s that feeling that you’re playing a game – not working out – which is at the heart of exergaming’s popularity. I look at exergames as stealth exercise.  Whether a player uses a dance game, a geo-tracking app on their iPhone or pretends to be playing in the World Cup using Wii, he/she is getting exercise without realizing it and having fun.  And, shouldn’t working out be fun in order to capture a child’s ongoing attention and maintain our adult enthusiasm for athletic training? Would you or your child like an athletic EDGE?  Fitness for Health’s EDGE Training works on mental processing, balance, proprioception, motor planning, motor sequencing, visual motor function and athletic conditioning utilizing the latest in exergaming technology. All are areas that will make the difference – and give you the EDGE during game time.]]>

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