Abstract
Introduction. The Active Balance Rehabilitation System (ABAR), is a new and customizable virtual tool based on the use of the Wii Balance Board for patients with balance problems. The purpose of this study was to evaluate static and dynamic balance control in elderly patients.
Methods. The study was carried out in San José Hospital (Teruel, Spain). The patients performed a total of 20 sessions, about 30 min using ABAR. We tested clinical tests in two periods of time Initial Evaluation (IE) and Final Evaluation (FE): Barthel index, MMSE, Philadelphia Scale. Other clinical tests based on Static Balance: Anterior Reach Test (ART), Unipedal stance Time (UST), and Dynamic Balance: Berg Balance Scale Test (BBS), Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), Ten-meters Walking test (10 MWT), Tinetti test (TT) and 30-s Sit-to-Stand Test (30SST).
Results. The group was composed by 12 patients, 71% men, ranging from 75 to 86 years old, mean barthel index: 62, mean MMSE: 29, mean Philadelfia scale: 6. Diagnosis included: Parkinson disease, vestibular pathology, stroke and cervical myelopathy. ANOVA results reveal significant difference in time effect (P < 0.01) in TUG (IE 36.92 ± 16.17, FE 28.58 ± 15.38), UST (IE 1.50 ± 1.49, FE 2.42 ± 1.89), 10 MWT (IE 0.44 ± 0.19, FE 0.53 ± 0.19), BBS (IE 34.25 ± 8.88, FE 40.92 ± 6.97); and a significant difference in time effect (P < 0.05) in 30SST (IE 4.92 ± 2.87, FE 7.33 ± 3.23), TT (IE 16.58 ± 7.43, FE 20.50 ± 6.29), and ART (IE 15.40 ± 5.29, FE 17.97 ± 4.28).
Conclusions. Elderly patients can benefit from new techniques based on virtual motor rehabilitation to recover gait and balance disorders, with significant improvements in balance scales.
