The balance board used to perform exercises while working out with Nintendo's Wii Fit system may offer a cheaper solution to laboratory-grade force platforms, according to a study published in Gait and Posture.
Researchers at the Univeristy of Melbourne in Australia instructed 30 patients to complete a combination of single and double leg standing balance tests with eyes open or closed on both the Wii board and a laboratory-grade force platform, an expensive piece of equipment used to assess the balance of patients' postures and track rehabilitation progress
After comparing data from the two devices, researchers found the balance board was a reliable tool for evaluating patients' standing balance and concluded:
Given that the Wii Balance Board is portable, widely available and a fraction of the cost of a laboratory-grade force platform, it could provide the average clinician with a standing balance assessment tool suitable for the clinical setting.
