Editorial: Ageing and physical activity: a multidimensional approach with new technology

Dario Cerasola ^* Giuseppe Giglia Marianna Bellafiore

• University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy

In high-income countries, people are getting older and according to recent studies by 2030 people 65-85 aged will reach 70 million (1).Ageing is a natural process characterized by the progressive degeneration physiological parameters and related to a decline in functional capacity to perform basic and advanced activities. Because the principal ageing risk factor is the sedentary lifestyle, active lifestyle result an import factor to maintain health status and prevent the diseases onset.Physical exercise in the elderly produces positive effects: reduces the risk of developing many chronic conditions, cardiovascular, metabolic, and tumoral diseases and reduces the development risk of hypertension, and osteoporosis (2). Pandemic status by COVID 19 imposed radical changes in lifestyle with decrease in physical exercise. However, COVID19 period, give us new strategies to maintain an active lifestyle with a strong development in new tecnologies in smartphone and videogames (exergames) (3). The special issue topic aims to identify studies investigating new tecnologies to improve the correct lifestyle and contrast the negative effect of ageing. Ramalho et al. proposed a reflection on the impact of virtual reality (VR) on our aging population with particular refer to relationship between VR and physical exercise.Researchers underline how the VR brings opportunities and challenges in elderly. indeed virtual reality can have positive psychological implications such as the ability to awaken memories and emotions and lead through virtual games to reduce sedentary lifestyle. however, in the elderly, potential concerns may arise of emotional disconnections or distorted perceptions of reality.Therefore, the correct use of VR by the elderly and its effectiveness will depend on the ability to manage the relationship between technological innovation and human emotions.In his study, Lee-Confer focuses on the relationship between arms movements and balance to fall prevention. Specifically, Lee-Confer aims to understand how physical therapy protocols in target arm movements may be more effective at preventing falls than exercises that target the legs.The results of the study show that during falls, the lower limbs do not produce lateral movement.In contrast, the arms have large degrees of movement and their abduction movement reduces falls by 200%+ during a slide. However, in older adults, abduction movement is reduced by 37.5% compared to young adults. So in conclusion, this study proposes to combine leg training with highspeed and ballistic training to improve the proportion and size of type II deltoid fibers. This would improve the ability of older adults to prevent falls.WhileThe study proposed by Navarro et al. aimed to investigate the acceptance of the use of a mobile robot (MTR) to engage isolated older adults by students and teachers of adapted physical activity (APA). A questionnaire measuring different psychological variables, based on the technology acceptance model (TAM), was proposed to 334 participants. The results showed that both students and teachers did not have significant differences for the acceptance of MRT with the items on ease of use, perceived pleasure and intention to use the MTR lower than the mean of the scale. while the perceived usefulness for the elderly was higher than the mean of the scale. in The results show that group C dedicated more time to intense physical activity compared to A, also showing a better body composition, greater maximum leg strength and a tendency to increase arm strength, better estimated VO2max, . while similar results were shown for the parameters of reaction time, efficiency of leg and arm cycling, balance, perception of quality of life and sleep.In conclusion, older adults engaged in competitive training show more advantages than those who lead active lives highlighting the importance of adopting active lifestyles to maintain long-term health, high levels of perception of quality of life and reduce age-related decline.fortipically associated toa potential market for their products