Feasibility, safety, and effects of a Nintendo Ring Fit Adventure™ balance and strengthening exercise program in community-dwelling older adults with a history of falls: A feasibility randomized controlled trial

Aim
This pilot study examined the feasibility, safety, and effects of a Nintendo Ring Fit Adventure™-based exercise program to enhance balance and lower limb muscle strength in community-dwelling older adults with a history of falls.

Methods
In total, 42 older adults who experienced at least one fall in the past year were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. Participants in the experimental group performed 60-min sessions of the exercise program twice per week for 8 weeks. The control group received usual care. We assessed the feasibility (retention and adherence to the exercise program), safety (number of adverse events), and clinical outcomes: (1) balance (Mini-BESTest); (2) functional lower limb muscle strength (Five-Time Sit-to-Stand test); (3) mobility (Timed-Up and Go test); (4) dual-task ability (Timed-Up and Go test – Dual Task); (5) fear of falling (Icon-FES); and (6) executive function (Color Trails Test).

Results
Thirty-one participants (74%) completed the 8-week assessment. No adverse event associated with the exercise program was reported. There was a significant interaction in the anticipatory domain score of the Mini-BESTest between the experimental and control groups over the 8 weeks (P = 0.019).

Conclusions
The Nintendo Ring Fit Adventure™-based exercise program was feasible, safe, and potentially effective in improving anticipatory balance in community-dwelling older fallers.