Wii FIT Balance Board to Recording Balance Parameters in Multiple Sclerosis Subjects
Condition: Postural Balance; Multiple Sclerosis
MeSH terms: Multiple Sclerosis; Sclerosis
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      Balance disorders are frequently observed in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and the
      deterioration of the static and dynamic control of balance is an important and basic symptom
      of disease progression.

      Measure balance disorders with force platforme requires personnel and represent a significant
      cost.

      The platform Nintendo Wii Fit represents a valid economic alternative
    

Detailed description: 
      Balance disorders are frequently observed in patients with MS and are the most disabling
      symptoms; in subjects with moderate disabilities for balance, the deterioration of the static
      and dynamic control of balance is an important and basic symptom of disease progression.

      From a clinical point of view, the reliability of being able to discriminate patients who
      have the highest probability of falling than those with lower probability is crucial to
      develop a program aimed at the prevention of falls.

      Potentially the parameters measured wiht torque platform can be an objective, reliable and
      accurate for discriminating patients with the highest probability of falling than those with
      low probability, and may be useful to highlight the deficits and improvements in the ability
      to maintain balance after specific rehabilitation. However posturographic systems represent a
      significant cost, require a dedicated and qualified personnel to use. A possible solution to
      not use force platforms could be the implementation of software to interface with the
      Nintendo Wii Fit Balance Board (WBB) with a personal computer.

      The platform Nintendo Wii Fit presents a set of sensors lower compared to a traditional force
      platform, but can represent a valid economic alternative to more complex systems, in addition
      to being already used as a rehabilitation tool in the literature in more than one study.
      Studies in healthy subjects have valid information on the study of the center of pressure
      (COP) obtained from WBB showing that the path lengths of the COP obtained from the WBB were
      valid and well correlated with those recorded by a dynamometric platform.
    

Intervention name(s): Nintendo Wii Fit Balance Board
Intervention type(s): Device
Intervention description(s): Clinical and instrumental evaluations carry out on the same day.
1) Instrumental evaluations
All subjects (healthy + MS) will ask to perform the following tasks both on force platform and Wii Fit Balance Board:
Open eyes, monopodalic balance for 20 seconds
Closed eyes, monopodalic balance for 20 seconds
Open eyes, balance on both feet for 60 seconds
Closed eyes, balance on both feet for 60 seconds
During trials subjects can leave arms in the most comfortable position they prefere
Subjects will perform every task for 5 times; they can rest for 30 seconds between every trials.
Observational model: Case-Control
Time perspective: Cross-Sectional
Sampling method: Non-Probability Sample
Study population: 
        Will be recruited 20 healthy subjects and 20 subject with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis
        and mild to moderate disability ambulatory identified with a value not higher than 5.5 EDSS
        score. The subjects of both groups will be age-matched to exclude differences caused by age
        posturographic. All individuals carry out the task of torque balance both on the platform
        and on the Wii Fit Balance Board on the same day.
      
Keywords: Balance; Multiple Sclerosis; Nintendo Wii Fit