Gamified home walking program to help seniors with peripheral artery disease improve walking and quality of life
Official title: Gamification to Improve Adherence to Physical Activity Recommendations and Quality of Life in Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11449859 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A program uses game elements on wearable devices to help people 65+ with peripheral artery disease walk more at home and feel better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $844,276 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL181239-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11449859 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 65 and older with peripheral artery disease who have difficulty accessing supervised exercise therapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who cannot use wearable devices or engage with gamified programs may not benefit.
What this research studies
This grant aims to create a fully home-based walking plan for people with PAD, using wearable tech and gamification to motivate regular activity. It builds on evidence that supervised exercise helps symptoms but many patients can’t access centers, so a convenient at-home approach could close that gap. The study will design and test a patient-friendly program guided by behavioral economics to sustain higher daily activity and improve function and quality of life. Participants will follow the home program, track progress with wearables, and engage with game-like rewards to stay motivated. Results could inform scalable options for improving mobility in older adults with PAD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make effective walking programs accessible at home, improving mobility and daily living for older adults with PAD.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows gamification can raise activity levels, but a fully home-based PAD program has not yet proven to improve walking capacity.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fanaroff, Alexander Craig — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Fanaroff, Alexander Craig
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Low-dose colchicine to reduce vascular risk in people with peripheral artery disease
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-
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This project looks at how fat metabolism in leg muscles relates to weakness and tissue damage in people with peripheral artery disease and aims to find new ways to help them.
-
Enhancing muscle energy to help leg function in PAD
A study to boost how muscle mitochondria work in people with peripheral artery disease to improve walking and leg function.
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Low-dose colchicine for people with peripheral artery disease to reduce heart and limb risks
A large international study will test whether a low daily dose of colchicine can lower heart and limb complications for people with peripheral artery disease.
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Low-dose colchicine for reducing vascular risk in people with PAD
A large international study will test whether a daily low dose of colchicine can lower heart and limb-related risks for people with peripheral artery disease.
-
IMProving mobility After revasCularizaTion in Peripheral Artery Disease
This study tests whether home-based exercise plus a nitrate supplement can help people with leg artery disease walk farther after a vascular procedure.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.