Feasibility of gaming console exercise and its effect on endurance, gait and balance in people with an acquired brain injury

Objective: To determine feasibility of gaming console exercise and its effect on endurance, gait and balance in people following acquired brain injury (ABI). Method: Twenty-one people following ABI were recruited to an 8-week randomized cross-over trial where 4 weeks of gaming console exercise in addition to usual therapy and 4 weeks of usual therapy alone were received. Feasibility measures included compliance, session duration and adverse events. Measures included endurance measured using a 6-minute walk test, spatiotemporal gait parameters (GAITRite) and balance using Balance Outcome Measure for Elder Rehabilitation (BOOMER). Motivation was measured using the Change Assessment Questionnaire. Results: Compliance with gaming console exercise was high (99%), the majority of sessions reached duration target (82%) and there were no adverse events. There were small, though non-significant increases in 6-minute walk distance (18 metres, 95% CI = −33 to 69), gait speed (0.11 m s−1, 95% CI = −0.18 to 0.29) and balance compared to after usual therapy after gaming console exercise. Conclusions: Gaming console exercise appears feasible in people with ABI. Four weeks of gaming console exercise in addition to usual therapy appears to result in similar improvements in endurance, gait and balance compared to usual therapy alone and may enhance active engagement in therapy.