Video Game-based Exercise for Persons With Parkinson's Disease

Effects of Interactive Video Game-based Exercise on Balance of Persons With Parkinson's Disease

This study assessed the effects of interactive video game-based exercise (IVGB) on balance in persons with Parkinson's disease . Twenty-four patients were randomly allocated to two groups (12 participants per group). Group A underwent IVGB training for the first 6 weeks, with no exercise in the subsequent 6 weeks. Group B had no exercise for the first 6 weeks and then received IVGB training in the subsequent 6 weeks. Both subjective and objective measures were used to determine whether IVGB exercise improves balance function.

The experiments were conducted as a prospective, randomized, single blinded, crossover, 12-week trial. The group A undergoes the IVGB training in the initial 6 weeks (intervention phase), follows by suspended from exercise in the subsequent 6 weeks (control phase). The group B does not received treatment in the first 6 weeks (control phase), and then performs IVGB training in the following 6 weeks (intervention phase). For all participants, The 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Modified Falls Efficacy Scale (MFES), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Multidirectional reach test (MDRT) and Maximum step length (MSL) test were assessed at weeks 0, 6, and 12 of the experiment.

Inclusion Criteria:

• medical diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's Disease
• independent community ambulatory individuals
• capable of giving informed and written consent (Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE)>23)

Exclusion Criteria:

• the other neurological conditions such as dementia, and stroke, or if they have arthritis, vision impairment,
• cardiovascular disease that impair walking, or diabetic and uremic individuals, or if they were unable to walk without assistance.