Search

Various recreational activities have been identified as effective interventions to improve balance in individuals with compromised gait, balance, and a history of falls. This investigation explored the effectiveness of Tai chi, fitness boxing, and the Xbox Kinect on the balance of one participant with multiple sclerosis (MS). An 11-week program was implemented with each intervention scheduled for a 3-week duration. The participant's balance was assessed prior to and at the conclusion of each intervention using the Multidirectional Reach test, Vestibular subtest of the Fullerton, and the Sensory Interaction in Balance test. The participant began each session with a warm up involving stretching and ended with a cool down of lap walking. The 2-min step test was used to measure progress toward improving endurance. Results suggest that the greatest improvement in balance occurred following the implementation of the both Tai chi and Xbox Kinect. Some improvement with endurance was additionally noted in the results of the 2-min step test. As a case study, this investigation cannot provide conclusive results that one intervention is preferred over another. However, our findings provide emerging evidence that balance can potentially be improved through the use of Tai chi, the Xbox Kinect, and fitness boxing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]