Comparison between the effects of exergame intervention and traditional physical training on improving balance and fall prevention in healthy older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Only 20 trials were eligible, and several had very small samples (as few as 12 participants total), limiting the power of the pooled estimates. The included trials varied widely in the type of exergame, the control activity, session length, and programme duration, which the authors note contributed to heterogeneity and inconsistent results. Most trials assessed outcomes only immediately after the intervention; longer-term effects (beyond a few weeks) remain unclear. All participants were healthy older adults without neurological, cognitive, cardiovascular, or musculoskeletal conditions, so the findings cannot be extended to patients with stroke, Parkinson's, dementia, or joint replacements. Seven of the 20 trials did not report whether participants or assessors were blinded, and the funnel plots for Berg Balance Scale and one-leg stance were asymmetric, raising concern about publication bias. Only two trials reported actual fall counts, so no meta-analysis of falls was possible; the fall-related finding rests on fall-confidence scales rather than observed falls.

Funded by the Key Technologies Research and Development Program (a government research programme). No industry sponsor, no author conflicts of interest, and no statement that the funder influenced study design or manuscript preparation were reported.

Do not conclude that exergames are broadly superior to traditional training for balance. Three of the six main balance measures (Berg Balance Scale, one-leg stance, functional reach) showed no significant difference between groups. The significant gains were small to moderate in size, and the evidence applies only to healthy older adults without neurological, cognitive, or cardiovascular conditions.