Can Virtual Reality Help Improve Ageing?

Virtual Reality was originally developed for use in video games, but as the technology progresses, a multitude of real-world benefits are becoming apparent. One such benefit is in-home health services, where VR may help people to reverse the health issues that come with aging.

As devices such as smartphones have become a core part of senior living communities, VR headsets are finding a place in this ecosystem.?Fully immersive headsets and ‘omnidirectional treadmills’ like the ROVR-2, allow people to walk around a virtual space and enter exciting real-world environments without needing to leave the comfort of their home or location. A housebound individual may have dreamt of walking through a busy street in downtown Tokyo or revisiting the town they grew up in. Using Virtual Reality hardware alongside software like Google's Street View technology, these dreams can become a reality.

One myth that requires debunking before we dive into the benefits of exercise in VR is that life-threatening ailments like heart disease are a natural by-product of getting older. In fact, medical opinions are beginning to point to other crucial issues that are linked to the development of major health problems. Sir Muir Gray MD, Honorary Clinical Researcher at Oxford University’s Nuffield Department of Primary Care, points to three preventable conditions. These are poor physical fitness, underlying health conditions that have been exacerbated by a patient’s poor physical fitness, and negative/pessimistic attitudes. It is possible for older people to ward off major health problems that typically affect people of their generation. The secret is to keep physically fit and maintain a positive mental attitude. This is where Virtual Reality can help.

Being cooped up indoors without the ability to walk outside is a huge contributing factor to the low mood in elderly people, but with virtual reality technology, these people are given a low-to-moderate intensity solution. By walking in virtual reality, an individual can work on recapturing their strength and stamina, all the while exploring intriguing landscapes. People can even “meet” over the internet so that they can walk together, see each other in the virtual world, and interact as if they were really in each other’s company. After using Virtual Reality for regular exercise, previously housebound people may improve enough to begin exploring the real world once more.

Walking in Virtual Reality is also a great way to regenerate leg strength. Dr. Gray says that walking just an extra 1000 steps a day is enough to see an improvement in the strength of the quadriceps – thigh muscles – as well as muscles in the lower back, reducing backache.?Adequate strength in these muscle groups is vital for rising from a chair and climbing stairs.

So, how does it work?

The ROVR-2 brings the double benefit of providing a compact, in-home solution for physical improvement while also being a moderate intensity, intuitive piece of equipment. Once users have donned a headset, they step onto the ROVR’s circular platform and move their feet in a reciprocating motion to walk around. Because of the platform’s concave design, the user stays stationary whilst experiencing the sensation of movement in the virtual space. The ROVR also includes a railing that encloses the user, providing support to individuals that require it and preventing the possibility of slipping and falling.

The ROVR-2 contains no mechanical moving parts like an ordinary treadmill so the user can move about at their own pace. Also, with a small 1m x 1m footprint, the ROVR is lightweight, easy to move, and won’t take up your entire living room.

After experiencing regular exercise and rebuilding their muscular strength, a lot of older people have been known to ‘drop a decade’ – their health improves to such an extent that they could be considered as healthy as someone 10 years their junior. Virtual Reality may well be on its way to becoming a household staple, like the TV or internet, and with its growing list of uses, it’s easy to see why.

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