Exercising With Computers in Later Life

Exercise Clinical Trial

— EXCELL  

Official title:

Exercising With Computers in Later Life (EXCELL) - Pilot and Feasibility Study of the Nintendo® WiiFit in Community-dwelling Fallers

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01082042
• Other study ID #: BGS05/2008
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: March 4, 2010
• Last updated: March 4, 2010
• Start date: January 2009
• Est. completion date: June 2009

Study information

• Verified date: June 2009
• Source: NHS Grampian
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United Kingdom: Research Ethics Committee
• Study type: Observational

Clinical Trial Summary

This is a pilot study to assess whether balance training with the Nintendo® Wii is comparable to a physiotherapist−led falls group in terms of improvement in balance. The acceptability of the Nintendo® Wii will also be assessed.

Description:

The population is ageing and as a result medical staff and allied health professionals are likely to see an increase in the number of patients with falls. Community dwelling individuals over 65 fall at a rate of 30% per year. This risk increases with advancing age. Falls have significant consequences for both the individual and the population as a whole. Falls risk increases with age due to increased body sway, a reduction in reaction times, deterioration in the efficiency of the walking pattern and diminished balance.

People who fall should be referred for multidisciplinary falls assessment. Locally, patients are assessed by the multidisciplinary team and, if appropriate, attend falls group. This group consists of a 12 week exercise program to improve balance and muscle strength (patients attend the group up to 3 times weekly). Previously trials have shown variable compliance with exercise programs but locally compliance is felt to be good. Falls groups aim to reduce falls through the benefits of exercise; improvement in muscle strength,balance, general fitness and well being. It has been shown that exercise has statistically significant beneficial effects on balance.

Due to advances in technology, equipment has been produced to improve balance on both the medical and commercial market. There is a large variability in cost between this equipment with commercial prices being much lower. The Wii has been very successful in encouraging sedentary youths to partake in exercise (all be it in a limited form). WiiFit is a specifically designed "game" for the Wii to improve balance with an element of entertainment value.

This project is important due the large number of falls that occur in the community and the significant impact this has on an under resourced NHS. It is timely because the WiiFit has only just been introduced into the market. Through the use of a Wii, balance training may be more enjoyable and as a result elderly community dwellers may be more likely to participate in exercise programmes. The Wii is considerably cheaper than the medical alternatives and if an improvement can be shown in post−intervention balance assessments, then we have to consider whether the use of similar equipment should be instituted in falls groups.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 21
• Est. completion date: June 2009
• Est. primary completion date: June 2009
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 70 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• age 70 years or older

• living locally in the community (in either sheltered accommodation or own home

• fallen at least once in the preceding 12 months

• abbreviated mental test (AMT) of seven or over

Exclusion Criteria:

• wheelchair bound

• people living in a care home or long-term hospital care.

Study Design

Observational Model: Case Control, Time Perspective: Prospective

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Accidental Falls
• Exercise

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United Kingdom	Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Woodend Hospital	Aberdeen	Aberdeenshire

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
NHS Grampian	British Geriatrics Society

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United Kingdom, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Improvement in formal balance score	Berg and Tinetti balance scores	4 weeks and 12 weeks following the exercise intervention	No
Secondary	Acceptability of the Nintendo WiiFit in community-dwelling older fallers	Individual interview and completion of the Attitudes to Falls-Related Interventions Scale (AFRIS)	12 weeks	No
Secondary	Participants degree of concern about falling in certain situations following the intervention	Falls Efficacy Scale - International (FES-I)	4 weeks and 12 weeks	No