Instrument Assessment
Evaluating the Nintendo Wii for Assessing Return to Activity Readiness in Youth with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
DeMatteo, C., Greenspoon, D., Levac, D., Harper, J. A. & Rubinoff, M., Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, Early online 1-16 2014-02-26
doi: 10-3109/01942638.2014.855103>/p>
Link to abstract: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24547689
Intent: “Post-injury assessments that challenge activity tolerance and balance are needed to determine readiness return to activity.” The maximal exertion and a count of loss-of-balance instances while playing Wii is compared to balance measures within Bruininks – Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency 2 ed. and the Community Balance and Mobility Scale.
Process: 24- 9 to 18 year olds who had experienced mild traumatic brain injury within the past year played a suite of Wii games one time. Losses of balance requiring a protective response were counted during game play and exertion as measured by heart rate, respiration rate and calorie expenditure.
Results: The technique of counting losses of balance during game play did not prove to be a useful assessment of balance and did not correlate with balance measures in BOT-2 and CBM. Of 6 games played, maximal exertion was generated by “Wii Fit Basic Run”.