Effects of using the Nintendo Wii Fit Plus Platform in the sensorimotor training of gait disorders in Parkinson’s disease

Abstract

The use of the Nintendo Wii has been considered a good alternative in the motor rehabilitation of individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD), requiring simultaneous interaction to develop strategies for physical, visual, auditory, cognitive, psychological and social activities in the performing of virtual activities, resulting in improvement in functional performance and gait. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of virtual sensorimotor activity on gait disorders in people with PD. Fifteen subjects with a clinical diagnosis of PD were submitted to the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS III), Schwab and England Activities of Daily Living Scale (SE), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and biomechanical gait analysis using digital images taken with a video camera before and after the treatment program. The activities with the Nintendo Wii virtual platform were standardized into three categories: aerobics, balance and Wii plus exercises. Participants carried out separate virtual exercises for 40 min, twice a week, for a total of 14 sessions. The program improved sensorimotor performance in PD gait, with an increase in stride length and gait speed, in addition to a reduction in motor impairment, especially in items of rigidity and flexibility of the lower limbs evaluated by UPDRS III, and greater functional independence, as evidenced in the SE and FIM scales. Improvements in items related to locomotion and stair climbing were also observed. The training was effective in motor recovery in chronic neurodegenerative diseases, showing improvement in motor performance and functional independence in individuals with PD.

Virtual Reality Therapy for Balance Training in Aging and Neurological Disorders

“…For example, Pompeu and colleagues reported performance improvement in game scores balance, gait, cardiopulmonary parameters and quality of life, after 14 sessions (1hour, 3 times/week) of Kinect Adventures!™ [37]. In another study participants were enrolled in 14 sessions of Nintendo Wii exercises (40 min, 2 times/week), leading to increased stride length and gait speed, reduction of rigidity and flexibility improvement of the lower limbs, and higher functional independence [38].…”

Kinetic and kinematic follow‐up gait analysis in Doberman Pinschers with cervical spondylomyelopathy treated medically and surgically

“…In human medicine, gait analysis has been used routinely in the evaluation of neurologic conditions, including cervical spondylotic myelopathy, the equivalent of CSM in humans . These techniques have been used to correlate findings on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with clinical signs and to determine outcomes after surgery .…”

“…21,22,30 In human medicine, gait analysis has been used routinely in the evaluation of neurologic conditions, including cervical spondylotic myelopathy, the equivalent of CSM in humans. [31][32][33][34][35][36][37] These techniques have been used to correlate findings on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with clinical signs and to determine outcomes after surgery. 32,34 A recent study evaluated both kinetic and kinematic parameters in the pelvic limbs in a group of control dogs and dogs that underwent a thoracolumbar hemilaminectomy for disc disease.…”

A Utilização Do Nintendo Wii® Como Ferramenta Terapêutica Em Programas De Reabilitação Traumato-Ortopédica

“…Tais características são de extremo interesse na elaboração de um programa terapêutico que busque manter a adesão do paciente durante o tempo necessário através da motivação e do seu caráter desafiador, garantindo o efeito almejado pela reabilitação. (5,6) As respostas fisiológicas e a utilização do Nintendo Wii® em programas terapêuticos já foram estudadas nos campos da reabilitação neurológica, (7,8) da reabilitação cardiovascular (9,10) e no combate à obesidade, (11,12) bem como alguns relatos de efeitos adversos resultantes da sua utilização, como mialgias agudas em extremidades superiores, (13) tendinites (14) e desvios posturais. (15) Seu uso para melhora do aspecto da mobilidade funcional tem sido discutido em estudos com pacientes pós -Acidente Vascular Encefálico (16) e pós-doença de Parkinson.…”

“…(15) Seu uso para melhora do aspecto da mobilidade funcional tem sido discutido em estudos com pacientes pós -Acidente Vascular Encefálico (16) e pós-doença de Parkinson. (17) Pouca informação, entretanto, se tem acerca do seu emprego em reabilitações traumato -ortopédicas e a eficácia de sua aplicação.…”