Wii Could Aide Patients COPD Patients

A new study from researchers at University of Connecticut Health Center, state that Nintendo's Wii Fit video game makes working out more pleasurable. While it promotes the kind of physical activity persons with breathing problems require. Patients are more apt to use it for exercise.

Dr. Jeffrey Albores, University of Connecticut Health Center states that regular exercise provides benefits to those with COPD. Exercise increases overall muscle tone while improving cardiopulmonary fitness. Managing to get patients to exercise at home is ideal however, it can be hard to manage, and particularly for COPD patients whose exercise tolerance may be limited.

In 2007, Nintendo had revealed Wii Fit™ which had included exercise activities, games along with yoga, balance and strength exercises and aerobic activities.

This system has been used by physiotherapists to encourage exercise at home for their patients. It has also been used for physical therapy for those patients recovering from strokes, surgery, contact injuries, MS and more. Even Hines Veteran Hospital had purchased a unit for their spinal cord injury unit.

Researchers in this study decided to assess Wii's ability in providing COPD patients a feasible and effective option for home exercise.

In this study, Dr. Albores and fellow researchers required five patients who had stable COPD. Before exercising with Wii™, a standard walking test had been given to evaluate each patient's maximum workload, heart rate, oxygen consumption and respiratory factors to obtain measures. Patients had performed four specified exercises from the Wii Fit™ program. These exercises were running and stepping in place, upper arm exercises and obstacle course. Each exercise was done for a span of three to five minutes, after which the measurements were once again taken.

When the exercise routine had concluded, heart rate was at 71% of maximum predicted value and oxygen consumption was at 86% of predicted value. The maximum predicted values are those in which reflect the highest upper limit of what a patient can achieve through exercise. This is based on health, age and other factors. Most exercise programs goal is to achieve from 60 to 80 percent of maximum values to be safe and effective.

Dr. Albores states that the initial data from their study indicates that COPD patients at 60 to 70 percent of their maximum during three to five minutes of Wii exercise. This shows a relatively high percent of their maximum. This can be compared to what you would see in low-intensity classroom calisthenics.

The study also revealed that lower-extremity Wii Fit™ exercises exactly is 70 to 80 percent pair maximum in comparison to upper-extremity Wii Fit™ exercises, which approximate 50 to 60 percent of maximum.

The Wii Fit™ does provide exercise options that are alike to those available in traditional rehabilitation centers. Dr. Albores does note that additional research does need to be conducted to determine if the use of Wii™ does heighten a patients willingness to exercise regularly at home.

In closing Dr. Albores remarks that the video game system does provide COPD patients a choice option to pulmonary rehabilitation by doing these interactive activity promoting game exercises at home. He does duly note that further studies are required to determine the safety, dedication and effectiveness of Wii Fit™ for COPD patients.

This new method approach to therapy is now being known as "Wiihabilitation". It is currently being used in hospitals, nursing homes, senior assisted living centers and by rehabilitation therapists across the nation. Sources:

Web MD

Medical News Today