“Let’s do it together” – designing an aerobic exercise game for long-term use

Abstract

Regular exercise is an important therapeutic advice for controlling symptoms in people living with Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, many patients lack motivation for long-term exercise engagement even though the benefits of physical activity in alleviating symptoms are well-known. There is a growing interest among researchers to develop custom games for exercise delivery, yet these games have mostly been criticised for lack of motivational elements to encourage regular use. This paper presents the development of a game-based rehabilitation system for aerobic exercise and executive function training that leverages motivational theories for regular and long-term use for people living with PD and contributes with game characteristics for this intent.