The reliability and preliminary validity of game-based fall risk assessment in community-dwelling older adults

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the Nintendo Wii Fit program could be used for fall risk assessment in healthy, community-dwelling older adults. Forty-five community-dwelling older women participated in this study. The "Basic Step" and "Ski Slalom" modules were selected from the Wii Fit game program. The following 5 physical performance tests were performed: the 10-m walk test under single- and dual-task conditions, the Timed Up and Go test under single- and dual-task conditions, and the Functional Reach test. Compared with the faller group, the nonfaller group showed a significant difference in the Basic Step (P < .001) and a nonsignificant difference in the Ski Slalom (P = .453). The discriminating criterion between the 2 groups was a score of 111 points on the Basic Step (P < .001). The Basic Step showed statistically significant, moderate correlations between the dual-task lag of walking (r = -.547) and the dual-task lag of the Timed Up and Go test (r = -.688). These results suggest that game-based fall risk assessment using the Basic Step has a high generality and is useful in community-dwelling older adults.