A randomized controlled trial to evaluate the feasibility of the Wii Fit for improving walking in older adults with lower limb amputation.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the feasibility of Wii.n.Walk for improving walking capacity in older adults with lower limb amputation.

DESIGN

A parallel, evaluator-blind randomized controlled feasibility trial.

SETTING

Community-living.

PARTICIPANTS

Individuals who were ⩾50 years old with a unilateral lower limb amputation.

INTERVENTION: Wii.n.Walk consisted of Wii Fit training, 3x/week (40 minute sessions), for 4 weeks. Training started in the clinic in groups of 3 and graduated to unsupervised home training. Control group were trained using cognitive games.

MAIN MEASURES: Feasibility indicators: trial process (recruitment, retention, participants' perceived benefit from the Wii.n.Walk intervention measured by exit questionnaire), resources (adherence), management (participant processing, blinding), and treatment (adverse event, and Cohen's d effect size and variance). Primary clinical outcome: walking capacity measured using the 2 Minute Walk Test at baseline, end of treatment, and 3-week retention.

RESULTS

Of 28 randomized participants, 24 completed the trial (12/arm). Median (range) age was 62.0 (50-78) years. Mean (SD) score for perceived benefit from the Wii.n.Walk intervention was 38.9/45 (6.8). Adherence was 83.4%. The effect sizes for the 2 Minute Walk Test were 0.5 (end of treatment) and 0.6 (3-week retention) based on intention to treat with imputed data; and 0.9 (end of treatment) and 1.2 (3-week retention) based on per protocol analysis. The required sample size for a future larger RCT was deemed to be 72 (36 per arm).

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggested the feasibility of the Wii.n.Walk with a medium effect size for improving walking capacity. Future larger randomized controlled trials investigating efficacy are warranted.