The Effects of the Wii Fit Balance
Games on Static and Dynamic Balance
of 9-11 Year Old Boys with
Developmental Coordination Disorder
Sarah Krasniuk, Jenna MacLeod, Stuart Matthews,
Jamila Twahir, Jane Taylor
Introduction
Developmental
Coordination Disorder
(DCD)
Balance
Intervention
Wii Fit Intervention

Purpose of the Wii Fit is to improve balance, strength,
flexibility, fitness, and general well-being (Nitz, Kuys, Isles,
& Fu, 2009)

Improves balance in persons compromised by stroke
(Brown, Sugarman, & Burstin, 2009; & Deutsch, Robbins, Morrison,
& Bowlby, 2009)
An Approach to Improving
Balance using a Virtual
Reality Intervention

9 sessions, 2 sessions/week
Purpose Statement

To investigate the effect of 9 sessions of Wii Fit Balance
training on static and dynamic balance of three boys with
DCD aged 9-11 years.
Method
Procedure
Participant 1
Participant 2
Participant 3
Testing Protocol
MABC
Force Plate
Intervention: Balance training
9 sessions
Testing Protocol
MABC
Force Plate
Wii Fit Balance Training
Data Analysis
Pre- and post-intervention
measures
Intervention measures
AMTI force plate
protocol
MABC
Single subject
design
-Sway area
- AP sway
- ML sway
- path length
- possible anterior
sway (PAS)
- possible posterior
sway (PPS)
- Total balance score
(TBS)
-Scoring 2 or 3 stars
(depending on game)
- for 3/5 trials
- 2 sessions in a row
- continue playing the
same games
Results
Single Subject
• Participant 3
performing Soccer
Header and Penguin
Slide
Force plate: Participant 3
Pre-intervention balance space
task
Post-intervention balance space
task
PAS & PPS for dynamic
balance
•
Post-intervention
increases in sway were
measured with percent
gains in balance space
task:
 Anterior sway: 8.43%
 Posterior sway: 262%
Discussion
Wii Fit Balance Training
 Increased level, trend, and implied reaction and movement
time
Force Plate
 Increased sway in static balance tasks  increased
tolerance of sway
 Largest gain  participant 1 (262%) in posterior sway
MABC
Participant
Pre-intervention
TBS
Postintervention TBS
1
<5%
>15%
2
>15%
>15%
3
5%
<5%

Participant 3 made highest level of improvement with the
Wii Fit, but obtained a worse TBS score post-intervention

Suggests that the Wii Fit is more of a motivational tool
than the static and dynamic balance tests of the MABC
Conclusion

Motivator to practice balance games to:
 React more quickly,
 Develop balance and problem-solving strategies
 Participants 2 and 3 were so engaged they purchased a
Wii Fit
 Potential for balance training
 More research needed
References
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