The effectiveness of a home exercise program for sedentary elderly with Nintendo Wii

Abstract

The physical activity promotes changes in the habits and lifestyle of the elderly; therefore, they can control or delay the onset of chronic diseases, as well as prolong the physical functions and maintain their independence in the activities of daily living. Therefore, the present study aimed to verify the effectiveness of a home exercise program in physical and psychological dimensions in the elderly using the Nintendo Wii®. Thus, an experimental design was conducted, composed of 24 elderly individuals, who were divided into two groups: experimental and control. The groups were evaluated before and after the intervention period. The results showed a reduction in time spent on the Timed Up and Go test (experimental, pre: 11.8 ± 3.3 s and post: 11.4 ± 6.1 s; control, pre: 11.6 ± 2.5 s and post: 11.9 ± 2.4 s) and trails (experimental, pre: 3.9 ± 1.8 min and post: 3.4 ± 1.3 min; control, pre: 3.5 ± 1.3 min and post: 3.4 ± 1.1 min), but only for the experimental group (p <0.05) and higher scores were observed in the satisfaction of life questionnaire answers to the following questions: "my life is close to my ideal" (experimental, pre: 5 ± 2 s and post: 6 ± 2; control, pre: 5 ± 2 and post: 5 ± 2) and "if I could live my life again I would not change almost anything"(experimental, pre: 5 ± 2 and post: 6 ± 2; control, pre: 5 ± 2 and post: 5 ± 2), for both comparisons, only in the experimental group (p <0.05). Based on the answers of this research, we conclude that the intervention through video game was effective regarding the variables: agility, attention and satisfaction with life.