Effects of a virtual reality intervention on postural adaptation of children with movement and balance problems

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a 20-session Wii Fit intervention on postural adaptation of 10 children with movement and balance problems (M = 8.50 years; SD = 1.27 years). The children’s balance was assessed at pre-, post-, and after a 7-week wash-out period, with the Total Balance Score (TBS) of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC) (Henderson & Sugden, 1992) and anterior-posterior (AP) sway, medial-lateral (ML) sway, area (Ao) of sway, and path length (L) measures of the balance space (BS) task (adapted from Geuze, de Jong, & Taylor, 1999), when the Wii board was placed on an Advanced Mechanical Technology Incorporation (AMTI) force plate (Krasniuk & Taylor, 2010). A series of repeated measures ANOVAs with Bonferroni corrections and effect sizes were used to examine and evaluate the effects of the Wii Fit intervention on the children’s balance. Subsequent dependent samples t-tests and effect sizes were computed to further investigate the effects of the intervention on TBSs, TISs, and path length measures.