Effects of Wii Fit Rehabilitation on Lower Extremity Functional Status in Adults With Severe Burns: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Maged A Basha; Nabil M Abdel-Aal; Fatma Alzahraa H Kamel

doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2021.08.020

Effects of Wii Fit Rehabilitation on Lower Extremity Functional Status in Adults With Severe Burns: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2022 Feb;103(2):289-296. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2021.08.020. Epub 2021 Sep 24.

Authors

Maged A Basha¹, Nabil M Abdel-Aal², Fatma Alzahraa H Kamel³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physical Therapy, College of Medical Rehabilitation, Qassim University, Buraidah, Qassim, Saudi Arabia; Department of Physical Therapy, El-Sahel Teaching Hospital, General Organization for Teaching Hospitals and Institutes, Cairo, Egypt. Electronic address: M.Basha@qu.edu.sa.
² Department of Physical Therapy for Basic Sciences, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
³ Department of Physical Therapy, College of Medical Rehabilitation, Qassim University, Buraidah, Qassim, Saudi Arabia; Department of Physical Therapy for Surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.

PMID: 34571011
DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2021.08.020

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the effects of the Wii Fit rehabilitation program in addition to a standard physical therapy program (SPTP) on lower extremity functional status and functional mobility in adults with severe burns after hospital discharge.

Design: A single-blinded, parallel groups, randomized controlled trial.

Settings: Outpatient rehabilitation center.

Participants: Thirty-four patients (N=34), aged 31.3±7.3 years old, with lower extremity deep partial-thickness and full-thickness burn and total body surface area of more than 40% were allocated randomly into 2 equal groups.

Interventions: The Wii Fit group received the Wii Fit program for 30 minutes in addition to SPTP for 60 minutes, whereas the SPTP group received SPTP only. The intervention was 3 sessions a week for 12 weeks.

Main outcome measures: The primary outcome measurements were the functional status and functional mobility, which were assessed by the high mobility assessment tool, Lower Limb Functional Index, and timed Up and Go test. The secondary outcomes included exercise capacity, muscle strength, and balance measured by the 6-minute walk test, isokinetic muscle strength assessment, and stability index. All the outcome measures were collected at the baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention.

Results: After 12 weeks of intervention, there were statistically significant differences between groups in all outcome measures in favor of the Wii Fit group (P<.001). Also, statistically significant differences were found in all the measured outcomes after 12 weeks of intervention in each group (P<.05).

Conclusions: Patients with lower extremity burns who received the Wii Fit program in addition to the SPTP had better improvements in lower limb functional status, functional mobility, exercise capacity, muscle strength, and balance than patients who received SPTP alone. The Wii Fit program was a useful adjunctive therapy in rehabilitating adults with lower extremity burn injury.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04677764.

Keywords: Burns; Functional status; Rehabilitation; Virtual reality.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Adult
Burns*
Functional Status
Humans
Leg Injuries*
Lower Extremity
Postural Balance / physiology
Time and Motion Studies
Video Games*
Young Adult

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04677764