Computer-Based Balance Training for People With Parkinson's Disease

"PD Wii: Computer-based Gait and Balance Training for Parkinson's Patients".

This study will be carried out to determine the effectiveness of in-home computer games played by a person with Parkinson's disease for 50 minutes 3 times a week on measures of standing and walking balance.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. presence of bradykinesia along with at least one of the following: muscular rigidity, 4-6 Hz rest tremor, and postural instability (Gelb, Oliver, & Gilman, 1999; Hughes, Ben-Shlomo, Daniel, & Lees, 1992).
2. Hoehn & Yahr disease Stage 1 (unilateral disease) to 3 (mild to moderate bilateral disease, physically independent) (Fahn and Elton, 1987).

Exclusion Criteria:

1. history of strokes, repeated head injury, encephalitis, oculogyric crises, neuroleptic treatment, MPTP exposure, more than one affected relative, sustained remission, strictly unilateral features after 3 years, supranuclear gaze palsy, early severe autonomic involvement or dementia, Babinski sign, tumor, or a negative response to L-DOPA (Hughes et al., 1992).
2. other neurologic, orthopedic or cardiac problems, cognitive impairment as evidenced by 5 or more errors on the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) (Folstein, Folstein, & McHugh, 1975)
3. visual or hearing impairments serious enough to interfere with their ability to interact with the computer-based training program.