Research shows that active gaming technology could help people with MS
A new study published by 豆奶视频 University has shown that using the Nintendo Wii鈩� could help people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) become more active.聽
The study saw 30 participants trial the use of Wii Fit Plus鈩�, Wii Sports鈩� and Wii Sports Resort鈩� games at home, following initial orientation and guidance from physiotherapists in a hospital setting.聽 People recorded how often they used the Wii鈩�, as well as responding to a number of questionnaires exploring its effects.聽 Dr Sarah Thomas, lead researcher, explains the rationale behind the project:
鈥淧hysical activity is known to make a difference to the health and wellbeing of people with MS, but they often face greater barriers to participation.聽 I鈥檇 noticed from my own family that playing the Wii appealed across the generations and was interested to see whether its ease of use and accessibility would make a difference to people with MS,鈥� says Dr Thomas.
鈥淐onversations with the Dorset MS team showed that they鈥檇 been thinking along the same lines, as they鈥檇 noticed that the Wii was increasingly being used by their patients.聽 That鈥檚 what led us to develop a successful grant application to the MS Society.聽Being more physically activity has a range of potential benefits, including better balance and posture, improved confidence and improved mood.鈥�
As part of the Mii-vitaliSe study, people with MS were allocated 聽at random to one of two groups 鈥� one which trialled the Wii intervention immediately alongside their usual care for 12 months, and one which started the Wii intervention after a 6 month delay.
鈥淭he people we worked with were relatively physically inactive at the beginning of the study,鈥� explains Dr Thomas, 鈥淭hrough regular 1-2-1 sessions with a physiotherapist, they were able to develop individual goals, which they then worked towards achieving using the Wii鈩� in their own homes.鈥�
鈥淲e found that people were using the Wii鈩� on average about twice a week, most often for balance exercises, yoga or aerobics,鈥� continues Dr Thomas, 鈥淥ur participants found it a fun and convenient way to increase their physical activity levels, with people reporting benefits such as reduced stress, increased confidence and better balance, among others.鈥�
鈥淚n day-to-day life, people noticed improvements such as dropping fewer pegs when hanging out washing, finding it easier to get in and out of the shower and walking further.鈥�
We hope to build on these promising initial findings by carrying out a large multi-centre trial to test whether this intervention is effective.鈥�
The full study can be read on the , with a also available.聽
