Exergaming as a Viable Therapeutic Tool to Improve Static and Dynamic Balance among Older Adults and People with Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

@article{Harris2015ExergamingAA,
  title={Exergaming as a Viable Therapeutic Tool to Improve Static and Dynamic Balance among Older Adults and People with Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis},
  author={Dale M. Harris and Timo Rantalainen and Makii Muthalib and Liam Johnson and Wei-Peng Teo},
  journal={Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience},
  year={2015},
  volume={7}
}
The use of virtual reality games (known as “exergaming”) as a neurorehabilitation tool is gaining interest. Therefore, we aim to collate evidence for the effects of exergaming on the balance and postural control of older adults and people with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD). Six electronic databases were searched, from inception to April 2015, to identify relevant studies. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to calculate effect sizes between… 
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49 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
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49 Citations

Efficacy of Virtual Reality and Exergaming in Improving Balance in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
TLDR
It is suggested that balance rehabilitation using exergames appears to be more effective than conventional rehabilitation in patients affected by MS.
Comparison between the effects of exergame intervention and traditional physical training on improving balance and fall prevention in healthy older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
TLDR
The exergame intervention, especially the combination of EI and PT, is a promising strategy to improve balance control and reduce falls in healthy older adults.
Effect of virtual reality on balance and gait ability in patients with Parkinson’s disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis
TLDR
This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials supports the use of virtual reality to enhance the balance of patients with Parkinson’s disease, however, the review does not find any definite effect upon gait by the useof virtual reality.
Effectiveness of Exergaming-based Interventions for Mobility Performance in Older Adults with Parkinson’s Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials (Preprint)
TLDR
Exergaming is superior to traditional training in improving PD older adults’ basic mobility skills, walking capability, and postural balance function, while it has an equal effect with traditional physical training in enhancing PD older Adults’ gait ability.
Concurrent exergaming and transcranial direct current stimulation to improve balance in people with Parkinson’s disease: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
TLDR
It is hypothesised that improvements in balance, functional and neurophysiological outcome measures, and neurocognitive outcome measures will be greater and longer-lasting following concurrent exergaming and a-tDCS than in those receiving sham tDCS or usual care.
Can exergames contribute to improving walking capacity in older adults? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
The Effects of Exergames on Muscle Architecture: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
TLDR
A four-week virtual balance-training program (the ProKin System) led to significant increments in the cross-sectional areas of individual paraspinal muscles in community-dwelling older women, but previously investigated exergame programs did not show any medium or large effects on the architectural parameters of the medial gastrocnemius muscle.
Effectiveness of exergaming in improving functional balance, fatigue and quality of life in Parkinson's disease: A pilot randomized controlled trial.
Nintendo WiiTM versus Xbox KinectTM for functional locomotion in people with Parkinson’s disease: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
TLDR
Network meta-analytic findings show that Kinect and Wii show immediate positive effects on functional locomotion in people with PD, and Wii may be considered the best therapy for providing functional recovery in PD.
Effectiveness of virtual reality training for balance and gait rehabilitation in people with multiple sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
TLDR
Virtual reality training could be considered at least as effective as conventional training and more effective than no intervention to treat balance and gait impairments in multiple sclerosis rehabilitation.
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