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Novel use of the Wii Balance Board to prospectively predict falls in community-dwelling older adults
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Novel use of the Wii Balance Board to prospectively predict falls in community-dwelling older adults

B C Kwok, Ross Clark and Yong-Hao Pua
Clinical Biomechanics, Vol.30(5), pp.481-484
2015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2015.03.006
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2015.03.006View
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Abstract

balance older adult primary care
Background The Wii Balance Board has received increasing attention as a balance measurement tool; however its ability to prospectively predict falls is unknown. This exploratory study investigated the use of the Wii Balance Board and other clinical-based measures for prospectively predicting falls among community-dwelling older adults. Methods Seventy-three community-dwelling men and women, aged 60-85 years were followed-up over a year for falls. Standing balance was indexed by sway velocities measured using the Wii Balance Board interfaced with a laptop. Clinical-based measures included Short Physical Performance Battery, gait speed and Timed-Up-and-Go test. Multivariable regression analyses were used to assess the ability of the Wii Balance Board measure to complement the TUG test in fall screening. Findings Individually, the study found Wii Balance Board anteroposterior (odds ratio 1.98, 95% CI 1.16 to 3.40, P = 0.01) and mediolateral (odds ratio 2.80, 95% CI 1.10 to 7.13, p = 0.03) sway velocity measures predictive of prospective falls. However, when each velocity measure was adjusted with body mass index and Timed-Up-and-Go, only anteroposterior sway velocity was predictive of prospective falls (odds ratio 2.21, 95% CI 1.18 to 4.14). A faster anteroposterior velocity was associated with increased odds of falling. Area-under-the-curves for Wii Balance Board sway velocities were 0.67 and 0.71 for anteroposterior and mediolateral respectively. Interpretation The Wii Balance Board-derived anteroposterior sway velocity measure could complement existing clinical-based measures in predicting future falls among community-dwelling older adults. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.

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