Effects of the Wii Balance Board in patients with multiple sclerosis
During the 26th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), researchers at the AISM Rehabilitation Center in Genoa, Italy, compared Wii to a traditional rehabilitation program in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
First, the details.
- 36 MS patients with balance disorders were randomly assigned to a treatment group for 12 sessions, 60 minutes each.
- Wii Balance Board group
- Control group
- All participants received rehabilitation treatment, with a standardized protocol for the control group and the Wii Balance Board group.
- All patients were evaluated with a range of scales at the beginning and end of the study.
And, the results.
- Both groups improved.
- But the Wii group showed significant improvement in fatigue, ambulation, and balance.
- Falls in this study, were low overall and did not differ between groups.
The bottom line?
The authors concluded, “Balance rehabilitation with a portable, widely used, force platform appeared to be an useful tool in improving balance skills in subjects with multiple sclerosis.”
There appears to be benefit, based on a small number of patients. More studies are planned.
On a related topic, earlier this year, the American Heart Association endorsed Nintendo Wii gaming system.
10/18/10 20:24 JR
