title: Typical balance exercises or exergames for balance improvement?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Balance training is an effective intervention to improve static postural sway and balance. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of the Nintendo Wii Fit Plus exercises for improving balance ability in healthy collegiate students in comparison with a typical balance training program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty students were randomly divided into two groups, a traditional (T group) and a Nintendo Wii group (W group) performed an 8 week balance program. The "W group" used the interactive games as a training method, while the "T group" used an exercise program with mini trampoline and inflatable discs (BOSU). Pre and Post-training participants completed balance assessments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two-way repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were conducted to determine the effect of training program. Analysis of the data illustrated that both training program groups demonstrated an improvement in Total, Anterior-posterior and Medial Lateral Stability Index scores for both limbs. Only at the test performed in the balance board with anterior-posterior motion, the improvement in balance ability was greater in the "T group" than the "W group", when the assessment was performed post-training (p=0.023).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings support the effectiveness of using the Nintendo Wii gaming console as a balance training intervention tool.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education and Sports Science, Democritus University of Thrace, Komotini, Greece. agioftsi@phyed.duth.gr.
authors.forename: Asimenia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gioftsidou
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vernadakis
authors.forename: Paraskevi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Malliou
authors.forename: Stavros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Batzios
authors.forename: Polina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sofokleous
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Antoniou
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kouli
authors.forename: Kyriakos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsapralis
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Godolias
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D018910:Video Games; D055815:Young Adult