Effectiveness of Exergaming Training in Reducing Risk and Incidence of Falls in Frail Older Adults With a History of Falls

Abstract

Objective: To use Nintendo's Wii Fit balance board to determine the effectiveness of exergaming training in reducing risk and incidence of falls in older adults with a history of falls.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Nursing home for older adults.

Participants: Adults aged 65 years and older (N=60).

Interventions: Participants who lived in a nursing home had 6 weeks of balance training with either Wii Fit equipment or conventional exercise.

Main outcome measures: Physiological Profile Assessment scores and incidence of falls were observed with subsequent intention-to-treat statistical analyses.

Results: Physiological Profile Assessment scores and incidence of falls improved significantly in both groups after the intervention (all P<.01), but participants in the Wii Fit training group showed a significantly greater improvement in both outcome measures (P=.004 and P<.001, respectively).

Conclusions: In institutionalized older adults with a history of falls, Wii Fit balance training was more effective than conventional balance training in reducing the risk and incidence of falls.

Keywords: Accidental falls; Aged; Postural balance; Rehabilitation; Virtual reality exposure therapy.