Does a Wii-based exercise program enhance balance control of independently functioning older adults? A systematic review

Abstract

BackgroundExercise programs that challenge an individual’s balance have been shown to reduce the risk of falls among older adults. Virtual reality computer-based technology that provides the user with opportunities to interact with virtual objects is used extensively for entertainment. There is a growing interest in the potential of virtual reality-based interventions for balance training in older adults. This work comprises a systematic review of the literature to determine the effects of intervention programs utilizing the Nintendo Wii console on balance control and functional performance in independently functioning older adults.MethodsStudies were obtained by searching the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL, PEDro, EMBASE, SPORTdiscus, and Google Scholar, followed by a hand search of bibliographic references of the included studies. Included were randomized controlled trials written in English in which Nintendo Wii Fit was used to enhance standing balance performance in older adults and compared with an alternative exercise treatment, placebo, or no treatment.ResultsSeven relevant studies were retrieved. The four studies examining the effect of Wii-based exercise compared with no exercise reported positive effects on at least one outcome measure related to balance performance in older adults. Studies comparing Wii-based training with alternative exercise programs generally indicated that the balance improvements achieved by Wii-based training are comparable with those achieved by other exercise programs.ConclusionThe review indicates that Wii-based exercise programs may serve as an alternative to more conventional forms of exercise aimed at improving balance control. However, due to the great variability between studies in terms of the intervention protocols and outcome measures, as well as methodological limitations, definitive recommendations as to optimal treatment protocols and the potential of such an intervention as a safe and effective home-based treatment cannot be made at this point.

The effect of visual biofeedback on balance in elderly population: a systematic review

“…However, Rodrigues et al11 contradicted the results of Laufer et al10 Rodrigues et al aimed to evaluate the effect of exergaming on musculoskeletal function among the elderly. An important point is that they included both healthy and unhealthy people in their sample of participants.…”

The Benefits of Active Video Games for Educational and Physical Activity Approaches: A Systematic Review

“…First of all, this literature review clearly suggests that most researchers were interested in the improvement of fitness because physical inactivity among adults (e.g., Bonetti, Drury, Danoff, & Miller, 2010;Diest et al, 2013) and children is a major contributor to diseases associated with obesity (World Health Organization, 2010). There was a great number of studies that have investigated AVGs participation in PA and its positive effects in reducing the risk of obesity (e.g., Maloney, Threlkeld, & Cook, 2012;Goersch et al, 2013), hypertension (e.g., Chen & Wilkosz, 2014), congestive heart failure (e.g., Klompstra, Jaarsma, & Strömberg, 2014;Tripette et al, 2014), atherosclerosis (e.g., Laufer, Dar, & Kodesh, 2014) and cardiovascular disease (e.g., Thompson, Gordon, & Pescatello, 2010). Controlled studies also showed that active video games increased capacities in relation to PA and education (Hammond, Jones, Hill, Green, & Male, 2014).…”

Virtual reality in the rehabilitation of the balance in the elderly.

“…However, the application of such technology for the prevention of falls has been limited due to the scarcity of studies which used virtual reality to train the balance and prevent falls in the elderly (19) . However, some studies showed the importance of inclusion of this modality in the treatment of balance disorders in elderly (13,19,20) . The present study aimed to verify in the literature the relation of the benefits of virtual reality in the postural balance of healthy elderly people.…”