HOW TO IMPROVE BALANCE

The American Heart Association has teamed with Nintendo to promote active versions like Wii Fit Plus and Wii Sports Resort for people of any age who don’t get 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week.

Two studies suggest that the devices – which use wireless, motion-sensitive, handheld controllers to interact with your TV – can improve balance and burn calories, which may help prevent falls.

Elizabeth Orsega-Smith, Ph.D., a professor of health behaviour sciences at the University of Delaware, studied 24 people 66 to 74 and found that they burned an average of 103 calories during 30 minutes of Wii bowling and 70 calories playing Wii baseball. A second study, of 31 adults 61 to 79, found an improvement in balance after four weeks of playing games that emphasize balance, such as skiing.

Tests in 2008 of the Wii Fit concluded that while the devices don’t offer much of a workout to people who are already fit, they might motivate people to become more active. “Caution is necessary, in case the devices might interfere with pacemakers and, like real sports, can cause injuries so talk with your doctor if you are middle-aged or older and just start to exercise,” adds Dr. Orsega-Smith.