The objective of this study was to use Nintendo’s Wii Fit balance board to determine the effectiveness of exergaming training in reducing risk and incidence of falls among the older adults with a history of falls. This as performed using an RCT involving 60 residents over the age of 65 in a nursing home. Participants had six weeks of balance training with either Wii Fit equipment or conventional exercise and were assessed using the Physiological Profile Assessment (PPA) scores and incidence of falls were observed with subsequent intention-to-treat statistical analyses. PPA scores and fall incidence improved significantly in both groups after the intervention, but the subjects in the Wii Fit training group showed significantly greater improvement in both outcome measures.
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.