ANA Discussion Forum
Post-Treatment => Balance Issues => Topic started by: marg on September 10, 2008, 10:54:40 pm
-
Hi all ,
I want to share something new I'm doing for balance. My daughter ( age 21) talked me into looking at a Wii to help me with my balance. I admit I thought it was just a "game console" like a Nintendo or X-box until I went to a store and checked it out. ...... I bought one at Fred Meyers - (after they said I had a 30 day money back time frame) ..so.......I took it home and tried it out. A basic sport disc was fun and helpful (tennis, bowling, boxing etc)..
Then my husband bought me a disc called Wii Fit . It is GREAT. It has balance exercises, yoga, arobics, and strength exercises too. Many of these activities are in the form of games... and the Wii board (lookis like a step for step arobics) measures wether you are balanced correctly or not. I can't say enough for this program. I asked my PT what he thought of it and he thought it was a great idea. I admit it is spendy - to start $249 for the Wii and then $89 for the Wii Fit program - but I can do it at home , it isn't dependent on the weather or time of day ( I don't do well at dusk or dark for walks).
What I want to know is .... has anyone else tried the Wii?? I highly recommend it!
marg
-
Marg,
My husband and I have been using the Wii Fit for about six weeks or more now. I have noticed improvement in my balance! I still fall over when I bowl and play tennis, but it is much better than it used to be!! The retirement homes in our area have them for their residents and the folks all love it! Some of the nursing homes are adding them too! And to think we bought one for our grand daughters for Christams and after "playing" for a week with them, we decided we had to have our own!
Much success with your new "toy"
Brenda
-
Marg~
We got the intial game set-up for Christmas last year for the girlies - well, SANTA did. We got Wii Fit in August for my daughter's birthday. We all play it and have a great time just watching each other. We love the ski jump - my hubby likes to crash. My 5 year old likes to bowl backwards - I guess we are a weird family - but it is funny!! ;D
K
-
I love the Wii. I used my balance issues as an excuse to buy it, actually. ;)
I haven't gotten the "fit" yet, because they've been sold out of that around here lately, but the rest of the stuff sure is fun! Turns out I'm just as bad at tennis on the game as I am in real life! But at least no one else gets hurt this way! ;D
Lori
-
Glad to know that others are enjoying the Wii. I can tell that it is making a difference. I love games anyway.... and to have a fun way to imporve my balance is wonderful. Wii fit is hard to get--they sell out quick . My husband got me mine at Fred Meyers. Find out their delivery day for the Wii fit and get there right away in the morning to pick one up.
Have fun everyone.... Wii wii wii ....all the way home ! :D
marg
-
We bought a Wii and Wii Fit for the kids to play when I left for my surgery. When we got home they had already set up Miis for us. We all went through the fitness test and I was the only one with a fitness age under my chronological age, by 15 years! That's when I could rest assured that my balance was unaffected by surgery, even though my hearing was diminished.
Our oldest daughter, who is 20 and watched her younger sister and brother in our absence, was with me when I bought it. We made arrangements for a family friend to come over and set it up to surprise them. Big sis told them that she had used the debit card we left with her to buy it. They thought she was going to be in so much trouble!
Sara
-
I have Wii Fit and I love it. However the balance exercises are difficult for me, 4 years post op. My kids love it when I do Yoga bc they get to be my stability. I can't do any of those one legged poses without support.
-
Pembo -
I may need to borrow your kids. I started going to yoga at the Y last week. My first attempt since my surgery. I had trouble with some of the two-legged poses! Fortunately, I made it through 3 classes so far with no casualties. I think maybe I should be wearing a bike helmet and elbow pads, just in case! :o
Lori
-
I still love my Wii and have been using it every day. My balance is improving and I feel more confident and not quite so timid. I am sure they will come up with a Wii fit #2 one of these days because this first one is so popular.
marg
-
marg, I read that Jillian from The Biggest Loser was making a new Wii Fit game due out next year. :)
-
I'm so glad I found this post! Just last week my doctor (general practitioner, not surgeon) suggested I try this Wii Fit game.
-
I volunteer at The Children's Hospital in Denver on the oncology unit. They have a Wii in the play room, and the kids love it. It brings smiles to their cute little bald headed faces. If I have any balance problems, I think I'll get one, too. I must admit that I practice Wii baseball when it is a slow day in the play room. Nancy
-
I saw it on the news last week, Wii helping kids in balance, so theres a thought if it can help kids Im sure it can help the kid in all of us
-
I think the more people who hear about the Wii (to help with balance etc) the better. I do have some of the other sports games ..but it is the Wii Fit programs that helps me the most. I laugh my head off when I get off balance and my little person on the screen does too :D . Pembo, I will be sure to keep my eyes open for the new Wii Fit game.
marg
-
I bought the Wii fit the day it came out and I love it! When I first did the balance test, it told me my brain age was 76! After a couple of weeks, it was 65, then 60, now it's 46. I love the fact that I can play the running games while I use my treadmill which is in the same room facing the TV. I just put the remote in my pocket and hop on. I find it easier than running in place.
Lisa
-
I wonder if the "brain age" would register in triple digits? I think that's where mine would be! :D
Lori
-
Too bad medical insurance doesn't pay for a Wii for those who have balance problems associated with ANs. We could only wish.
Nancy ;D
-
I just called my daughter and asked if I could borrow her WII. I'm going to look online to see if I can find the WII Fit. I'm for anything that helps with my balance!!!
-
Nancy, I have a friend who is a nurse(and taught nursing) and she said if my PT perscribed it .... it should be tax deductable.... worth a try.
marg
-
Thanks for sharing this ya'll! My son has a Wii, but not the Fit - I'll definitiely have to go look for it. I'd like to start doing it some prior to my surgery, I think...
Thanks, I never would have thought of this,
Cindy
-
I just sent my PT an email asking if she would prescribe it for me. I'm borrowing my daughter's WII right now (still need to hook it up) but will get one of my own and look for the WII FIT too. With winter coming on (and it's nasty here - at least what I'm used to) going out for daily walks won't be a possibility for me. (I hate cold.) ;)
Cathy
-
Donnalynn~
We (the girlies) have them both - I like Wii a LOT better!!
K ;D
-
After reading all this good stuff about the Wii......I got it......this past Sunday. No Wii Fit though....all gone. I'm on the "hunt" The sports games are fun....I haven't tried them yet...but my grandchildren have....what fun it is. With the positive feedback from those who use them........I think we should be able to claim them as medical expense. I'm going to start on that after the holidays.....if a doctor prescribes it then it should a valid claim......one would think. They sent me to vestibular rehab....without getting any results........and it was a valid expense. We will see..........
Judy
-
My daughters bought me the Wii and the Wii fit for Christmas. I was very happy to see a Wii fit age of 47 (I'm 50). It really looks like a great way to workout and improve your balance in a fun way....not as much fun as surfing but when I can't get on the water I'll definitely spend some time on the Wii fit. The games are a lot of fun too....boxing in particular is a heck of a workout.
-
Hi Cheri,
The soccer is a challenge but just shift your weight from left leg to right leg...you don't need to move your head at all ( I fell off the board too when I moved my head left and right :D )
Enjoy your Wii.... I love it and I'm hoping for a new Will Fit 2 game down the line.
marg
-
Hehe...the soccer was tough. I have problems with moving objects on screen anyway...add in trying to head the ball..... :o. I only fell off once though, not too bad.
-
We got our Wii and the Fit for Christmas and I have been playing with it daily since then - LOVE it! The balance exercises are great, but I also find the yoga to be very helpful with balance, too. I still can't do the tree pose without hopping off the board, but I think it gets a tiny bit better each time I do it.
I also love the ski boarding - very hard but lots of fun.
Is there a FIT II on the horizon??
Debbi, recent Wii Fit addict...
-
Hi everybody..........I'm DOING it........it works! Geeeeez I'm happy. Those laughing grandkids were taking my picture last night and literally cheering me on.....I only have sports edition but searching for Wii fit. My grandson supports me....gets me going.....and then lets go of me....baseball is my best. I am his biggest fan at baseball...started working with him at 2.....now he's MVP every year he's 14. He is now my coach.....I can't do any of the stuff I've taught him and he yells at me like I still do him....."You're swinging late Nanny etc" SOOOOOO fun! It was definitely worth the expense. My son is building me a safety device so I don't fall when alone.......good idea. Kind of like a harness device mounted from the ceiling. I am VERY optimistic about the Wii.
Good luck everybody!
Judy
-
Great Judy !
After about 3 weeks I noticed that I didn't have to think about my balance every moment I'm walking ....what a difference the Wii (and especially the Wii Fit) has made to my life. Keep going and don't give up.... you'll just get better and better at it . Sometimes my Wii fit 'age' is 37 ......and I am 54 years old ! ;D
marg
-
Got my Wii Fit. It is so much fun. I only tried it for the first time yesterday. It'll be great for those days that I don't go for my daily walks because the weather is bad. I'm looking forward to making it part of my routine.
Syl
-
Syl, have you tried the jogging? I am not a runner, but it was kind of fun. The hula hoop cracks me up - I giggle the whole time I'm doing it - and, boy, does it give your hips and abs a workout! We have a gym set up in our basement with elliptical, weights, pilates, etc - but I can find a million reasons not to go down there. On the other had, the Wii is just so much fun that I actually look forward to using it every day. Willie and I play a few games of tennis or bowling every night, too - he totally kicks my a**, but I keep reminding him that he's got two perfectly good balance nerves so he should be kicking my butt!
My name is Debbi, and I am a Wii Addict...
-
I have tried the jogging game. I'm not a runner either, and I also thought it was fun. I've also tried the basic step dance--also alot of fun. The soccer practice is alot of fun, too. The skii jump took some practice, but I finally got the hang of it. Even the yoga one is lots of fun. The one I haven't got the hang of is the tight rope walk. And, i havent' tried the hoola hoop yet.
Syl
-
The tight rope is hard, but fun once you get the hang of it. I've made it across a couple of times! The bubble in the stream is really a challenge - I haven't gotten past the island yet - has anyone else? Oh, and how about the tree pose in the Yoga?! I couldn't do that before I had surgery! anything that involves standing on one leg is very challenging to me still.
Debbi, still an addict...
-
Yep, the hula-hoop is hilarious...at least when I do it. But, so is the soccer game - I get hit with those shoes every time - so funny! Cheri, I have done the "dance" one also - I liked it - a good work out and wasn't too challenging balance wise. Debbi, the bubble one drives me nuts - think I "pop" at the same point you do - very frustrating (in the fun way). My son can get all the way through and in very quick time. I seem to do the downhill skiing the most - I keep trying to better my score and it drives me crazy also! How about the one where you sit and watch the candle burning - anyone done that? I actually mastered that one! I can sit and stare for sure!
Great fun/therapy!
Ciindy
-
I didn't make it watching the candle burn but I have almost made it to the end on the stream bubble..... what fun. I have made it across the tight rope a couple of times...and I love the rolling balls through the hole in the balance section.
Is the "dance one" on the step arobic part or something else?
I am a Wii addict too .... ( I can't believe there is a healthy thing to be "addicted to" :D ).
marg
-
Hey, Cheri! I think the candle burning one is under Yoga, but I'm not positive (will check on it) and you may have to earn it. I also keep getting hit w/ those shoes in the soccer game! I'm laughing so hard about it that I can't recover to get out of the way of the next one that's being thrown! Don't know how you're doing that tight rope one...and now you have wind trying to blow you off the rope...whew! Do try the bubble iin the river - it's maddening!
Yes, Margi, the dance step is in the Aerobic section - give it a try!
Cindy
-
The candle burning is under the Balance games - it is the last one you can earn, I think. I thought it was okay, but tend to like the more physical ones.
I laugh so hard when I do the soccer - I keep getting hit by either the boot or the panda! I just can't seem to shift quickly enough to avoid them. It's hilarious. Oh, and the step exercise in Aerobics is hilarious, too. I got Willie to do it and we were both screaming with laughter. And, when is the last time you hula-hooped??? Yep, this is worth every penny in laughs alone.
Oh, I almost got around the island today! I was SO close ... and then I crashed! Grrrr. It's my mission to make it through to the end of that one!
Debbi, addicted and not ashamed!
-
Definitely addicting...I haven't made it as far as you ladies yet though. The step aerobics thing kills me...not sure why..I'm a pretty good dancer but I just can't seem to get it.
I saw a new Wii fit game is out. Snowboard game "Shaun White Snowboarding Road Trip" Looks like fun.
-
My Wii age started out at 82 (I am 58). That was 165 days ago. This morning I did the test and I am 35!!!!!! Too bad my balance isn't that good all of the time!!!
Brenda
-
Hey, you know how the kids play their X-box and Playstation games on-line with other kids from all over the place? My son plays with kids over in Japan and Germany even! Wouldn't it be great if we could do our Wii games/excercises on-line together! We could cheer each other on as we're doing the downhill skiing, help each other dodge those darn shoes on the soccer game, "lean" with each other as we're trying to navigate in that flimsy bubble to avoid hitting the island and jog together along the countryside!
Know it would help me to have you guys with me!
Have a great weekend,
Cindy
-
If you have wireless internet in your house, you can connect your Wii and I think you can do the games online with others - some of the Wii Fit stuff, too. Haven't tried it yet, but ours is hooked up, and I did see a screen somewhere to find other people. I'd be game (haha) to try it with someone!
BTW, I finally got past the island (the bubble balance game) without crashing - however, I didn't quite make it to the finish as I crashed into something else. Grr. And, right now, the ski boarding has me totally intimidated. I also suckl at the soccer - although I'm quite brilliant at the downhill skiing. :D
Debbi, seriously addicted
-
I have mine hooked up to wireless too. I'm game.
-
I had no idea it might be possible - I'll check with my son to see if I have the capability and just don't know - I've just learned how to turn the thing on and get it to show up on the tv - very technically challenged am I! The balance issues may one day go away, but I'm not so sure about the technical problems :o
Cindy
-
ok.... we seriously have to set up a game time together. What fun that would be. Somebody get their teenager to check this internet access thing out for us and write directions here for how to get on line to play together ( My daughter ..who set up my Wii for me .... is away at college or I would ask her to do it). For many of us our kids are much quicker at the "game box" things than we are.
marg
-
I spent a couple of minutes looking for the directions this weekend, but didn't find what I was looking for. I know there is a way to do this, though! You're right, Marg - we need someone's teenager to figure this out for us! I'm in as soon as I, or someone, can figure out how to get us all connected.
Yesterday I shoveled snow (not the virtual kind - who would ever buy a game like that?!) so skipped my wii workout and went for a warm bath instead...
Debbi
-
Ok, I'll tackle my teen when he gets home here in the next hour or so...will let you know if I'm successful...
cindy
-
Well, he says that only certain games are "on-line gaming capable" and the Wii Fit is, apparently, not one of them. Now, if we want to all get a "shoot-em-up" type of game - that will work ::) Darn, I really need help in not getting hit so much in the soccer game!
Cindy
-
Well, I am glad to hear that about the soccer. I make myself do it every day, but it is really hard to dodge the darned boots and the dreaded pandas. I guess we could all meet up for tennis or bowling?
Has anyone done the advanced step class (under Aerobics)? It's fun, but it takes awhile to get the hang of the footwork. At least, it took me awhile...
Okay, and one last question - is there some trick to the ski board? I totally bomb at that...
Debbi, wii anonymous
-
I finally got my Wii Fit ...been using it for two weeks and have went from 58 to 40...I am somewhere
between that so happy ...
something that is funny is my right side is stronger as far as balance than left and it is my AN side ... wonder
if that is due to my 20 months of relearning to balance and it has been over worked ...
I have also lost 3 lbs ... only 22 more to go :D ... the jogging gets to my ankles if I do it it place so I
clear the area put remote in my pocket and run in a circle ... then pause and steady self on chair back and
go again ..slows my time but keeps my ankles happy and I don't fall ... just wobble and pant...
the yoga poses are my least favorite but do them as per doctors orders... what does he know ...I am in
it for the fun... :) ...
got $40 back from insurance on the purchase because my PCP wrote me out a letter saying that the use
of the system would aide in my recovery ...
I have fired all my ologists and he is treating me for everything and will order my yearly then later every three
year MRIs ... he is prescribing my lyrica and BP meds and stuff for lupus treatment ... only condition is that if
something comes up that he feels he is unable to treat right I will go to a specialist that he finds or he dumps me ...
we came to this agreement Friday as I sat in his office dressed in pajamas and a robe with my 9 year old also
dressed this way ... we came straight from school and it was PJ's day ... I fell asleep waiting for him as I either
subbed or worked our book fair every day last week and was tired ...when he and my daughter woke me up I
couldn't figure out why he was at school... I couldn't have done a full week of school with out the pain control
I have got from the lyrica
so here's to Wii Fit and good doctors
-
I love my WII fit. Bought it exactly for that reason- balance issues. I LOVE the way you can tell how balanced (or unbalanced ) you are. I love the yoga, strengthening exercises. Definitely have gotten my money's worth.
Maureen