Wii Fit for the Disabled
Is The New Exercise Fad Suitable For People with Disabilities?
Feb 28, 2009
By now, everyone has probably heard about the Wii Fit. But is it usable for the disabled too?
Luckily, Wii Fit is meant for the couch potato type gamer nerd, not for serious athletes. Very strenuous work-outs are possible with it, but almost all of the exercises are quite gentle at the beginner level. There is nothing that should trigger epileptic seizures (more than watching TV).
The game is based on a balance board, which is actually just a sturdy plastic board with scales inside measuring how much pressure put on which part of it, not a real balance board where players can fall off and hurt themselves if they're not careful.
The maximum weight of the player is 330 lbs/150 kilos.
Yoga and Muscle Work-outs
Wii Fit comes with four different kinds of exercises, in addition to a balance test that you are supposed to do every day. Optionally, players can set themselves goals, for losing and gaining weight (but not for reaching athletic milestones).
Yoga and muscle exercises are "supervised" by a virtual trainer, either male or female, whom can be viewed from every side to see how the exercise is done properly. Almost every exercise is scored, even yoga, but in some it's easy to get the full 100 points and the title "Muscle legend".
With yoga the player can train their coordination and stability and stretch their muscles. There are a few "acrobatic" poses like the shoulder stand, but most are quite gentle and last for about 30 seconds. People with orthostatic hypertension should be careful though, as many of the poses require keeping hands over the head.
For those who suffer from joint hypermobility, a healthcare provider should probably be consulted before partaking in Wii-fit yoga.
The muscle exercises include things like lunge, jackknife and rowing squats. Most would be doable for a moderately disabled person, though the press up and side stand is pretty hardcore even for a non-fit able-bodied person. Even if players can't do the muscle work-outs or the idea sounds too gym-like , there's still plenty of other stuff in Wii Fit.
Games and Aerobic Training
The balance games are entertaining, though may lose their charm over time. The funniest one is probably the penguin game, where players slide on an iceberg trying to catch fish. That one doesn't require so much balance and coordination but timing. Some of them are fairly easy, but some, like the snowboarding require quite a bit of practice.
Sadly none of the games have a multiplayer mode, as there is only one balance board. The only work-out where the player can compete with a friend is running, which isn't all that entertaining. The other aerobic exercises - hula hoop, rhythm boxing and step - are much more fun. The latter two are also good for training the players sense of rhythm.
Home Gym for the Disabled?
Almost everything in Wii Fit uses the balance board. It is thus not suitable for those in wheelchairs or with otherwise limited lower body mobility. Those who do better with their hands than feet could enjoy Wii Sports,which comes bundled with the Wii. With Wii Sports includes golf, bowling, basketball, tennis and boxing, and everything is doable even from a wheelchair.
The biggest problem with Wii Fit is that there aren't enough different exercises and games. This problem should soon be fixed, with all kinds of different games that utilize the balance board for things like snowboarding. Tai chi, a fairly gentle form of whole-body exercise would be a particularly suitable for the balance board.
Wii Fit is no replacement for gym, but with it the player can exercise at any time of the day, even the middle of the night if that's when they feel the least fatigued (though strenuous exercise late in the evening can cause insomnia).
And being in the comfort of your own home, they don't have to be self-conscious about their ataxia/pot belly/having to rest ten minutes between the exercises.
See Also
EA Sports Active: Personal Trainer Game Review
