Effects of virtual reality walking-in-place exercise and seated cycling on grip strength, lower limb strength, and five times sit-to-stand test in elderly individuals with dementia: A parallel randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThe prevalence of dementia is increasing among the aging global population. Innovative exercise interventions, such as virtual reality-based walking-in-place exercise (VR-WIPE) and seated cycling, are emerging for this population.ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of these two exercise methods on physical function.MethodsThe study included 20 adult women (mean age: 78.9 ± 4.61 years) diagnosed with dementia and registered at a daycare center. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups according to intervention: experimental (n = 10); or control (n = 10). The experimental group received VR-WIPE, whereas the control group performed seated cycling. The primary outcome was the 5xSTS test, assessing functional mobility. Secondary outcomes included grip strength and lower limb strength.ResultsGrip strength increased significantly only in the seated cycling group (<i>p</i> < 0.05), with a small effect size (Cohen's d = 0.23). Both the cycling and VR-WIPE groups showed significant improvement in 5xSTS and lower limb strength (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Between-group comparisons revealed that the seated cycling group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in hip flexion and knee extension strength (Cohen's d = 1.36, 1.09, respectively), while ankle plantar flexion strength was significantly higher in the VR-WIPE group (<i>p</i> < 0.05, Cohen's d = 1.66).ConclusionsBoth seated cycling and VR-WIPE effectively improved lower limb strength and 5xSTS performance in older adult women with dementia. Seated cycling yielded greater improvements in hip and knee strength, whereas VR-WIPE was more effective in enhancing ankle plantar flexion strength.