Wii Balance Board exercises ‘can aid people with multiple sclerosis’

Exercising with the Wii Balance Board can have a favourable impact on the brains of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study from Italy.

This research used an MRI technique called diffusion tensor imaging to study changes in the brains of 27 MS patients who underwent a 12-week visual feedback training intervention using the popular videogame accessory.

The Wii Balance Board was released in 2007 by Nintendo as an add-on for its Wii console. It measures the user's weight distribution for exercise-based games like Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus.

It was found that using the device caused positive changes in brain chemistry associated with balance and movement, suggesting it can help patients to reduce their risk of accidental falls.

Task-oriented and repetitive training aimed at managing this specific symptom was shown to be highly effective in inducing brain plasticity. The rehabilitation-induced improvements did not persist after the patients discontinued the training protocol.

Lead author Dr Luca Prosperini, from Sapienza University in Rome, said: "This finding should have an important impact on the rehabilitation process of patients, suggesting that they need ongoing exercises to maintain good performance in daily living activities."