Jon Sykes

OTAGO is going digital. Yes, we are working with Dawn Skelton and OTAGO to bring you an OpenBox version of New Zealand’s top Falls intervention programme.

Falls are a global phenomenon. Approximately 1/3 of people over the age of 65 fall every year, and approximately 1/2 of over 80s fall every year. The resulting fractures is a major issue for all national health systems. In just the UK, we are spending over £2billion a year on fractures – which could be significantly reduced if we could prevent people falling.

In terms of the evidence-base, the use of exercise to prevent falls is strong. But what we need to do is engage those who are unable to attend group exercise sessions. OTAGO is a home-based exercise system which has been shown to benefit patients in 5 RCTs. However, the exercises are often considered dull and as a result adherence is poor.

Falls trial of Wii

Contrary to popular perception, we have found older population demonstrate a keen interest in particular video game technology – specifically the Wii Fit, where there is a one-on-one mapping between player action and the on-screen activity. Given the positive response when introducing such technology to a Falls population, it is clear that there are motivational benefits one might gain from incorporating gaming mechanics into a series of exercises.

We are currently working to develop gaming applications for every exercise within the OTAGO programme. An example video of one of our exergames is presented below.

Otago Exercise