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Space-saving version of Paralympic sport increases motivation, mobility among older adults

Demonstrating Boccia XR

An extended reality version of boccia was developed and studied to determine how much more enjoyable and effective it is for older adults compared to traditional boccia and treadmill walking.

Credit: Osaka Metropolitan University

Boccia’s appeal and rising popularity comes from its showcase as a Paralympic sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities. An Osaka Metropolitan University team has developed an extended reality version of the game as a rehabilitation program, showing how the game that requires accuracy and strategy can aid motor and cognitive skills.

Graduate School of Rehabilitation Science Associate Professor Masataka Kataoka’s research group developed Boccia XR so that the program can be introduced even in environments with limited space. The researchers investigated changes in mood among participants over 65 before and after experiencing Boccia XR, traditional boccia, and treadmill walking, as well as lower limb muscle activity during exercise.

Participants reported better moods, vitality, and energy after experiencing both Boccia XR and traditional boccia. There was no significant difference in lower limb muscle activity during any of the programs, though muscle activity of the rectus femoris, which helps extend the knee, increased during both types of boccia compared to the treadmill.

“Boccia XR could be effective as a rehabilitation exercise for older adults in terms of both physical and emotional effects, and since it does not require a large court, it is practical for indoor environments such as hospitals and nursing care facilities,” stated Professor Kataoka. “Since this research was designed to verify immediate effects, we plan to conduct further studies to investigate long-term results in a larger population of older adults and to continue updating Boccia XR.”

The findings were published in PLOS One.

Paper information

Journal: PLOS One
Title: Is Boccia XR an enjoyable and effective rehabilitation exercise for older adults?
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0320369
Authors:  Masataka Kataoka, Kyoji Sugiyama, Akira Iwata, Yumi Higuchi, Ryosuke Saga, Shinji Takahashi, Mitsuhiko Ikebuchi, Hiroaki Nakamura
Published: 4 April 2025
URL: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0320369

Contact

Masataka Kataoka
Graduate School of Rehabilitation Science
Email: kataokam[at]omu.ac.jp

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