The Reliability of 3 Nintendo Wii Balance Games: A Dual Task Approach to Measuring Postural Control (2011)

Undergraduate: Nora Brody

Faculty Advisor: Kevin Guskiewicz
Department: Exercise & Sport Science

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Evaluation of concussion is a complex process involving clinical, cognitive, symptom, and postural assessments. This study examined the intersession and intrasession reliability of three Nintendo Wii Fit games as a first step in determining if the Wii Fit can be used alongside common postural control measures in concussion assessment. The study also examined the correlation between scores on the Wii Fit games and the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS). Active college students (N=30; age=20.80±1.13 years) played Wii Fit Soccer Heading, Perfect 10, and Tilt City. Five trials of each game were completed during two sessions. Participants also completed the BESS once at the beginning and once at the end of each session. We observed moderate intersession reliability for each Wii Fit game (ICC2,k range: 0.56 –0.90). Soccer Heading is high in intrasession reliability (ICC2,1 =0.83). Perfect 10 is moderate in intrasession reliability (ICC2,1 =0.52). Tilt City is low in intrasession reliability (ICC2,1 =0.30). No significant correlations between each Wii Fit game and the BESS total error score were observed: Soccer Heading (r =0.104, p =0.583); Perfect 10 (r =-0.025, p = 0.897); Tilt City (r = 0.051, p = 0.789). These results suggest that Wii Fit games with moderate to high intersession reliability may be useful in serial assessments when multiple trials are used in each session. Further research is needed to better understand how these tools may be applied in a concussed population.