title: Wii Fit balance board playing improves balance and gait in Parkinson disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of exercise training by using the Nintendo Wii Fit video game and balance board system on balance and gait in adults with Parkinson disease (PD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective interventional cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  An outpatient group exercise class.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten subjects with PD, Hoehn and Yahr stages 2.5 or 3, with a mean age of 67.1 years; 4 men, 6 women.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects participated in supervised group exercise sessions 3 times per week for 8 weeks by practicing 3 different Wii balance board games (marble tracking, skiing, and bubble rafting) adjusted for their individualized function level. The subjects trained for 10 minutes per game, a total of 30 minutes training per session.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pre-and postexercise training, a physical therapist evaluated subjects' function by using the Berg Balance Scale, Dynamic Gait Index, and Sharpened Romberg with eyes open and closed. Postural sway was assessed at rest and with tracking tasks by using the Wii balance board. The subjects rated their confidence in balance by using the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale and depression on the Geriatric Depression Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Balance as measured by the Berg Balance Scale improved significantly, with an increase of 3.3 points (P = .016). The Dynamic Gait Index improved as well (mean increase, 2.8; P = .004), as did postural sway measured with the balance board (decreased variance in stance with eyes open by 31%; P = .049). Although the Sharpened Romberg with eyes closed increased by 6.85 points and with eyes opened by 3.3 points, improvements neared significance only for eyes closed (P = .07 versus P = .188). There were no significant changes on patient ratings for the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (mean decrease, -1%; P = .922) or the Geriatric Depression Scale (mean increase, 2.2; P = .188).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An 8-week exercise training class by using the Wii Fit balance board improved selective measures of balance and gait in adults with PD. However, no significant changes were seen in mood or confidence regarding balance.
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL(∗).
authors.forename: Priya V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Mhatre
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vilares
authors.forename: Stacy M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Stibb
authors.forename: Mark V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Albert
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pickering
authors.forename: Christina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Marciniak
authors.forename: Konrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kording
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Toledo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004867:Equipment Design; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010045:Outpatients; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018910:Video Games