Experiences of Exergaming for Upper Extremity Exercises in People With Systemic Sclerosis

Impaired upper extremity (UE) function has limited activities of daily living in people with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Exergaming, a combination of gaming and exercises, could be a novel way to improve UE exercise engagement. The objective of this study was to examine the usability of exergaming and to investigate participant experiences after exergaming among people with SSc. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Participants completed questionnaires regarding the usability of exergaming. Semi-structured interviews were conducted directly after exergaming. Descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis were performed. Twenty participants with SSc participated. Exergaming was highly acceptable with a good System Usability Scale score (M = 71.6 ± 9.9). Participants described exergaming as motivating with potential physical and nonphysical benefits. Although results were generally positive, participants expressed some barriers and temporary side effects of using exergaming and needs for improvement. This work stands to inform future exergaming interventions in people with SSc.