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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2024 Mar;24 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):334-341.
doi: 10.1111/ggi.14771. Epub 2023 Dec 13.

Feasibility, safety, and effects of a Nintendo Ring Fit Adventure™ balance and strengthening exercise program in community-dwelling older adults with a history of falls: A feasibility randomized controlled trial

Wayne Lap Sun Chan  1 , Cody Wing Lam Chan  1 , Freddy Man Hin Lam  1 , Howard Ho Wing Chan  1 , Kelvin Chi Kin Chan  1 , Jerry Sai Kit Chan  1 , Oscar Lok Wang Chan  1 , Daphne Sze Ki Cheung  2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Feasibility, safety, and effects of a Nintendo Ring Fit Adventure™ balance and strengthening exercise program in community-dwelling older adults with a history of falls: A feasibility randomized controlled trial

Wayne Lap Sun Chan et al. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2024 Mar.

Abstract

Aim: This pilot study examined the feasibility, safety, and effects of a Nintendo Ring Fit Adventure™-based exercise program to enhance balance and lower limb muscle strength in community-dwelling older adults with a history of falls.

Methods: In total, 42 older adults who experienced at least one fall in the past year were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. Participants in the experimental group performed 60-min sessions of the exercise program twice per week for 8 weeks. The control group received usual care. We assessed the feasibility (retention and adherence to the exercise program), safety (number of adverse events), and clinical outcomes: (1) balance (Mini-BESTest); (2) functional lower limb muscle strength (Five-Time Sit-to-Stand test); (3) mobility (Timed-Up and Go test); (4) dual-task ability (Timed-Up and Go test - Dual Task); (5) fear of falling (Icon-FES); and (6) executive function (Color Trails Test).

Results: Thirty-one participants (74%) completed the 8-week assessment. No adverse event associated with the exercise program was reported. There was a significant interaction in the anticipatory domain score of the Mini-BESTest between the experimental and control groups over the 8 weeks (P = 0.019).

Conclusions: The Nintendo Ring Fit Adventure™-based exercise program was feasible, safe, and potentially effective in improving anticipatory balance in community-dwelling older fallers. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 334-341.

Keywords: exergaming; falls; gerontechnology; rehabilitation.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Scenes of the Nintendo Rig Fit Adventure™ (Nintendo, Kyoto, Japan) exercise programme. (a) yoga exergame (warrior 2); (b) muscle strengthening exergame (wide squat); and (c) balance exergame (overhead bend).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Flow diagram of the feasibility study.CG, control group; EG, experimental.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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