Could Nintendo's Wii Fit assist seniors with balance?


A UK researcher is currently looking for people over the age of 70 to participate in a study to see if a game can improve their balance, BBC reports.


Dr Alison Steward, an honorary research fellow at the University of Aberdeen, is conducting a study to see if Nintendo's Wii Fit exercise game may improve balance in senior citizens and prevent them from falling, according to the article. Approximately 90 percent of hip fractures in older people are from falls.


The research, funded by the British Geriatrics Society, will examine the effect of the exercises in the game that use Nintendo's wireless balance board.


"As many older people have a problem with their balance, I wanted to investigate balance and initially I proposed using a piece of equipment that cost several thousand pounds," Steward told the news provider.


However, when she didn't receive grant money, she altered her study to use the Wii Fit, which costs considerably less.


Originally released in December 2007, the Wii Fit is a game that promotes wellness through yoga, strength and balance exercises.


Could Nintendo's Wii Fit assist seniors with balance? Since its release, it's been used at a number of retirement homes for both entertainment and routine physical activity for seniors.


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