A small randomized study from Sweden suggests two low‑cost options—movement‑based video games and medical yoga—can safely boost how patients with heart failure feel and function, though neither clearly outperformed standard care in head‑to‑head comparisons.

What the study did

Researchers enrolled 104 adults (average age 71, 37% women) with symptomatic heart failure. For 12 weeks, participants were randomized to:

• Exergaming at home with Nintendo Wii Sports (baseball, bowling, boxing, golf, tennis), 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, after a coached setup and check‑ins by phone.
• Medical yoga (a therapeutic Kundalini‑based program) in 60‑minute classes twice weekly, with chair‑based options and encouraged daily home practice, plus phone follow‑ups.
• Active control with physical‑activity advice and matched phone check‑ins.Outcomes (walking distance, breathlessness, fatigue, well‑being, quality of life, anxiety/depression) were measured at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months.

What they found

• No between‑group differences in change over time (i.e., neither program decisively beat standard care).
• Within‑group gains were meaningful:
  • Exergaming: Walking capacity (6‑minute walk test) improved by ~35 meters at 3 months and ~33 meters at 6 months—a clinically relevant boost. Fatigue and shortness of breath eased (early), and physicalquality‑of‑life scores improved at 3–6 months (not sustained at 12 months).
  • Medical yoga: Fatigue improved at 3–6 months; emotional quality‑of‑life scores improved across 12 months; walking distance rose modestly (~23 meters) by 12 months.
  • Control: No improvements; life satisfaction dipped at 3 months.
• Safety: No harms were reported. Adherence was moderate (about half of exergamers met the time target; mostyoga participants attended ≥80% of sessions).

Why it matters

Traditional exercise can be hard for people with heart failure due to symptoms and motivation barriers. Home exergaming and gentle, chair‑adaptable yoga offer accessible ways to move more and may improve day‑to‑day symptoms—especially fatigue—without added risks. Because the study was modest in size and not powered to show superiority, larger, longer trials are needed.

If you have heart failure

Talk with your care team before starting new activity. If approved, consider short daily Wii‑style games or a beginner medical‑yoga class with heart‑friendly pacing and chair options. Aim for consistency over intensity.

Source: Klompstra L, Hägglund E, Jaarsma T, Kato NP, Strömberg A. “Effects of exergaming and yoga on exercise capacity and physical and mental health in heart failure patients: a randomized sub‑study.” European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. Published January 2, 2025. DOI: 10.1093/eurjcn/zvae155.