Effectiveness of Wii sports- based strategy training in reducing risk of falling, falls and improving quality of life in adults with idiopathic Parkinson's disease- a randomized comparative trial.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of Wii sports-based strategy training on risk of falling, falls and quality of life in adults with idiopathic Parkinson's disease.

Design: Single blind, Randomised comparative trial.

Setting: Hospital and home.

Subjects: Diagnosed as idiopathic Parkinson's disease, Hoehn-Yahr stage 2.5 to 4, history of at least 3 falls in the last 3 months.

Intervention: Experimental group participated in 30-40 min of Wii training, 3 session/week for 12 weeks and control group participated for the same duration in traditional balance training. During each session both the group received 30 min of conventional physiotherapy.

Outcomes: Number of fallers, Fall rate, Berg balance scale, Timed up and go test, Parkinson's disease questionnaire 39, at baseline, 12 and 36 week after baseline.

Results: We randomised 192 participants. Participant's characteristics were similar between Wii and control group at base line, in age 69.7 ± 10, 68.5 ± 9.8, disease severity 3.43 ± 0.56, 3.42 ± 0.59, and fall rate 10.47 ± 15.78, 11.80 ± 18.95 (in mean ± SD). At 12 week 28%(27), 51%(49) & 36 week 45%(42), 60%(57) in Wii-group, control group fell at least once, respectively. Wii group improved more than control group at 12, 36 week in number of fallers (-23%,  < 0.001) (-15%,  < 0.039), fall rates -2.635(-5.38 to 0.112), -1.476(-5.09 to 2.142) (difference in mean, Confidence Interval) and bodily discomfort component of PDQ 39.

Conclusion: A 12 weeks exercise training using the Wii sports-based strategy decreases the number of fallers, fall rate, measures of risk of falling but did not alter the quality of life in adults with idiopathic Parkinson's disease.