Colin Milner
Colin Milner, CEO of the International Council on Active Aging, an organization dedicated to improving fitness and quality-of-life issues in older adults, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Fact: One in four Americans age 65 and older falls each year, and falls are the leading cause of injuries—both fatal and nonfatal—in this age group.
Staying fit and strong, engaging in exercises that target your “core” abdominal muscles and practicing balance-oriented regimens, such as yoga and tai chi, are key to preventing falls. But another solution may be as near as your TV—active video games that get you on your feet and moving. Dubbed “exergames,” they’re great for everyone—from healthy older adults who want to stay that way to those challenged by chronic conditions that impair balance.
Changes that often come with aging can make you more wobbly on your feet. The biggest contributor for otherwise healthy people is general physical decline—loss of strength and power, poor balance and slower reaction time. Vision problems, foot-health issues, such as peripheral neuropathy, and medication side effects also can contribute to balance issues, as can certain medical conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease.
Staying active and fit is the best way to maintain the muscle strength and quick reaction time needed for good balance. But even if you haven’t been particularly active, exergames can help you improve balance in a short period of time.
Exergames are video games that involve “whole-body motion.” You can see an animated version of yourself (your “avatar”) on screen, which makes it easier to make the right moves. When it comes to balance research, most of the studies use the Nintendo Wii Balance Board, which you stand on for some of the games in Nintendo Wii Fit. It relays your movements to the screen and lets you adjust your stance in real time. Exergames…
• Help healthy older people who live independently improve balance. Example: One 2015 study of retired Australian men and women published in Journal of Aging and Physical Activity found that 30-minute unsupervised sessions of Wii balance gaming three times a week over six weeks significantly improved balance as measured by tasks such as standing on one leg…compared with a similar group that was encouraged to simply keep exercising in their normal way. Their enjoyment in playing also increased over the six weeks.
• Are safe. A recent review of 60 studies looking at the effectiveness of gaming technology for adults age 65 and older published in International Journal of Medical Informatics concluded that “exergames show promise as an intervention to improve physical function in older adults, with few reported adverse events.”
• Are great for people with chronic conditions that affect mobility and balance. Example: A Northwestern University study of patients with Parkinson’s disease found that eight weeks of playing Wii Balance Board (the games included marble tracking, skiing and bubble rafting) three times per week significantly improved measures of gait and balance. Other research has found that exergames help stroke patients recover muscle function and balance.
Ready to play, but not sure where to start? Exergames range from light activity to a real workout. It’s definitely an investment—you’ll need to buy a Nintendo Wii and a Wii Balance Board. Once you’re set up, here are some popular games to try…
• DanceDanceRevolution, which has you two-stepping on a sensored pad to match the dance moves shown on a screen. It features 30 dance tracks and three levels of fitness.*
• Wii Ski. Use the balance board to hit the slopes on any of 14 breathtaking courses including races, freestyle, moguls and slaloms at beginner, intermediate and black diamond levels.
• Wii Sports. This suite of games uses a handheld remote to let you play tennis, baseball, golf, bowling and boxing.
What about other types of exergames? There’s been some research on using Xbox Kinect games to improve balance, so that’s one alternative. One benefit to using Xbox Kinect—you do not have to hold the remote, which can cause arm fatigue. Instead, the Xbox’s sensor tracks your body as you move.
If you haven’t been active for a while, or have physical limitations or a chronic health condition, talk with your doctor before trying exergaming. Research from University of Washington also finds that combining exergaming with regular sessions with a physical therapist is a particularly effective way to improve balance quickly.
*Prices for each of the games listed are available at Amazon.com.
