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Pulmonary Wii-habilitation: a pilot study

Year:
2011
Duration:
18 months
Approved budget:
$81,686.02
Researchers:
Professor William Levack
Health issue:
Physical activity/exercise
Proposal type:
Emerging Researcher First Grant
Lay summary
Exercise programmes have been shown to improve quality of life (QOL) and reduce disability in people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), yet the vast majority of people with COPD do not have access to these programmes. Kinetic video games, such as Nintendo Wii, which require users to move in order to play, potentially address issues of access by providing a form of fun home-based exercise appropriate for people with COPD. This randomised, cross-over pilot study, aims to: 1) determine if a 12-week programme involving exercises with Nintendo Wii prescribed by a physiotherapist is a feasible intervention for people with COPD, and 2) gather information required for the development of a fully-powered clinical trial into the effectiveness of 'pulmonary wii-habilitation' on functional exercise capacity and QOL. Particular emphasis will be placed on exploring the value of this intervention for Maori, who have greater COPD burden and poorer access to rehabilitation.