Abstract

The elderly in Chile and in the world, is a growing population, characterized by their motor skills suffer a progressive and natural deterioration highlight the balance as a loss most affected by facilitating falls and therefore severe trauma injuries, such as hip fracture. This work seeks re-educate balance and postural control in older adults through the use of virtual reality. The study populations included 20 older individuals (mean= 69 years). All participants gave written, informed consent to participate in the study. The subjects were training with a intervention model of tree times a week during 8 weeks with 20 minutes per session. Two test were applied: bipedal stance and Tándem stance, and was performed four times, before the intervention at 3, 6 and 8 weeks of the training. In bipedal stance there were significant changes in the area and velocity of displacement of the center of pressure (DCoP) in open eyes phase. The area that represent about a 30 % of the beginning values, and the velocity equivalent to 4% to the beginning values (p <0.01). In Tándem stance there were significant changes in the area of DCoP in open eyes phase with a decrease of 28% (p<0.01). The training with virtual reality (Nintendo Wii Fit) generate a significant decrease in older individuals in balance. Parameters like the area in open eyes phase in both test and the mean velocity in open eyes phase of bipedal stance test and in closed eyes for Tándem stance test.