title: Effects of a Nintendo Wii exercise program on spasticity and static standing balance in spastic cerebral palsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to evaluate the effects of a Nintendo Wii Balance Board (NWBB) intervention on ankle spasticity and static standing balance in young people with spastic cerebral palsy (SCP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten children and adolescents (aged 72-204 months) with SCP participated in an exercise program with NWBB. The intervention lasted 6 weeks, 3 sessions per week, 25 minutes for each session. Ankle spasticity was assessed using the Modified Modified Ashworth Scale (MMAS), and static standing balance was quantified using posturographic measures (center-of-pressure [CoP] measures). Pre- and post-intervention measures were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant decreases of spasticity in the ankle plantar flexor muscles (p < 0.01). There was also a significant reduction in the CoP sway area (p = 0.04), CoP mediolateral velocity (p =0.03), and CoP anterior-posterior velocity (p = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A 6-session NWBB program reduces the spasticity at the ankle plantar flexors and improves the static standing balance in young people with SCP.
authors.affiliation: a Human Motor Control Laboratory, Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences , Universidad de Talca , Talca , Chile.
authors.forename: Valeska
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gatica-Rojas
authors.affiliation: b School of Dentistry , Universidad de Concepción , Concepción , Chile.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cartes-Velásquez
authors.affiliation: a Human Motor Control Laboratory, Department of Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences , Universidad de Talca , Talca , Chile.
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Méndez-Rebolledo
authors.affiliation: c Escuela de Kinesiología, Facultad de la Salud , Universidad Santo Tomás , Talca , Chile.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guzman-Muñoz
authors.affiliation: d Department of Medicine , Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne , Melbourne , Australia.
authors.forename: L Eduardo Cofré
authors.initials: LEC
authors.lastname: Lizama
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000842:Ankle / Q000503:physiopathology; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology; D000066530:Neurological Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*; D004856:Postural Balance; D018910:Video Games
keywords: Ankle function; Modified Modified Ashworth Scale; Nintendo Wii; cerebral palsy; spasticity; standing balance