Thursday 28 April 2011

The cardiovascular and metabolic responses to Wii Fit video game playing in middle-aged and older adults Dec 2010

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness
2010 December;50(4):436-42 
Guderian B. 1, Borreson L. A. 1, Sletten L. E. 1, Cable K. 1, Stecker T. P. 1, Probst M. A. 1, Dalleck L. C. 2

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Abstract
AIM: The purpose of this study was (a) to assess the cardiovascular and metabolic responses to Wii Fit video games and (b) to determine if Wii Fit video games meet the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for improving and maintaining cardiorespiratory fitness.
METHODS: Twenty men and women (mean±SD age, height, and weight: = 58.1±8.8 years, 172.1±10.5 cm, 87.1±22.8 kg, respectively) completed a 20-min Wii Fit testing session consisting of six separate aerobic and balance games. Cardiovascular and metabolic data were collected via a portable calorimetric measurement system.
RESULTS: Mean relative exercise intensity was 43.4±16.7% of heart rate reserve. Absolute exercise intensity in metabolic equivalents (METS) was 3.5±0.96. Total net energy expenditure for the Wii Fit video game playing session was 116.2±40.9 kcal/session.
CONCLUSION: Results indicate that playing Wii Fit video games is a feasible alternative to more traditional aerobic exercise modalities for middle-aged and older adults that fulfills the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for improving and maintaining cardiorespiratory fitness.

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The Reliability and Preliminary Validity of Game-Based Fall Risk Assessment in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Geriatric Nursing
2011 Apr 16. [Epub ahead of print]
Yamada M, Aoyama T, Nakamura M, Tanaka B, Nagai K, Tatematsu N, Uemura K, Nakamura T, Tsuboyama T, Ichihashi N.

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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine whether the Nintendo Wii Fit program could be used for fall risk assessment in healthy, community-dwelling older adults. Forty-five community-dwelling older women participated in this study. The "Basic Step" and "Ski Slalom" modules were selected from the Wii Fit game program. The following 5 physical performance tests were performed: the 10-m walk test under single- and dual-task conditions, the Timed Up and Go test under single- and dual-task conditions, and the Functional Reach test. Compared with the faller group, the nonfaller group showed a significant difference in the Basic Step (P < .001) and a nonsignificant difference in the Ski Slalom (P = .453). The discriminating criterion between the 2 groups was a score of 111 points on the Basic Step (P < .001). The Basic Step showed statistically significant, moderate correlations between the dual-task lag of walking (r = -.547) and the dual-task lag of the Timed Up and Go test (r = -.688). These results suggest that game-based fall risk assessment using the Basic Step has a high generality and is useful in community-dwelling older adults.
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