Usability of Videoconferencing for Physical Exercise Interventions in Older Adults: Scoping Review.

Abstract

Background: Videoconference combines the convenience of home-based physical exercise (PE) with group interaction and supervision of exercise in the community and could be useful for facilitating PE practice among older adults.

Objective: This scoping review aims to assess the evidence regarding the usability of videoconferencing technologies. Specifically, it explores whether tele-exercise solutions based on videoconferencing are usable for older adults and professionals, and how the heterogeneity of evaluation tools influences the generalization of results.

Methods: Electronic searches were conducted in databases Pubmed-Ovid Medline, Science Direct, Scopus, and CINAHL from January 2000 to March 2025 for identifying articles on measures of usability (ie, effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction of technology).

Results: A total of 14 studies out of 2506 unique records were included. The results showed that videoconferencing strategies can effectively deliver synchronous exercise interventions. However, their effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction vary depending on the technological medium used. Despite widespread use among older adults, there is a notable gap in studies evaluating usability, particularly regarding remote PE interventions.

Conclusions: The review highlights that videoconferencing can be an effective tool for delivering synchronous exercise interventions to older adults. However, the effectiveness and user satisfaction depend on the technology used and the individual's characteristics. Further studies using standardized evaluation tools are needed to better assess usability. These findings underscore the importance of continued research to evaluate the effectiveness and acceptability of videoconferencing technologies for exercise interventions and to develop customized solutions to optimize the efficacy of these interventions for this population.