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Citation
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Montero-Alía P, Miralles-Basseda R, López-Jiménez T, Muñoz-Ortiz L, Jiménez-González M, Prat-Rovira J, Albarrán-Sánchez JL, Manresa-Domínguez JM, Andreu-Concha CM, Rodríguez-Pérez MC, Martí-Cervantes JJ, Sañudo-Blanco L, Sánchez-Pérez CA, Dolader-Olivé S, Torán-Monserrat P. Age Ageing 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Affiliation
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Unitat de Suport a la Recerca Metropolitana Nord (GRIDAES), Fundació Institut Universitari per a la recerca a l'Atenció Primària de Salut Jordi Gol i Gurina (IDIAPJGol), Mataró, Spain. |
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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: gamification is a potentially attractive option for improving balance and reducing falls.
OBJECTIVES: to assess the effect of balance training using the NintendoTM Wii game console on balance (primary outcome), falls and fear of falling.
DESIGN: quasi-randomised, open-label, controlled clinical trial in parallel groups, carried out on community-dwelling patients over 70 years, able to walk independently. Participants were assigned 1:1 to the intervention or control group. Balance training was conducted using the Nintendo WiiFitTM twice a week for 3 months. Balance was assessed using the Tinetti balance test (primary outcome), the unipedal stance and the Wii balance tests at baseline, 3 months and 1 year. Falls were recorded and Fear of falling was assessed by the Falls Efficacy Scale (Short-FES-I).
RESULTS: 1,016 subjects were recruited (508 in both the intervention and the control group; of whom 274 and 356 respectively completed the 3-month assessment). There was no between-group difference in the Tinetti balance test score, with a baseline mean of 14.7 (SD 1.8) in both groups, and 15.2 (1.3) at 3 months in the intervention group compared to 15.3 (1.7) in controls; the between-group difference was 0.06 (95% CI 0.30-0.41). No differences were seen in any of the other balance tests, or in incident falls. There was a reduction in the fear of falling at 3 months, but no effect at 1 year.
CONCLUSIONS: the study found no effect of balance training using the NintendoTM Wii on balance or falls in older community-dwelling patients.The study protocol is available at clinicaltrials.gov under the code NCT02570178.
© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Language: en |