Colwyn Bay man uses Wii-Fit games to manage Parkinson’s.

Dec 9 2010 by Samantha Castle, North Wales Weekly News

A PARKINSON’S Disease sufferer from Colwyn Bay is so determined not to let his condition get him down after giving Wii-habilitation the thumbs up!

Vincent Wells, 64, from Colwyn Bay was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2006 and is championing the use of the Wii gaming console as a way to have fun and help manage Parkinson’s symptoms.

He bought himself a Nintendo Wii a couple of years ago after seeing the balance board advertised and thought it might help him.

Vincent said: “I mainly use the Wii Fit Plus. The games using the balance board help keep you sharp and maintain balance.

“Being a keen skier, I also enjoy the skiing and snowboarding games which help me stay in practice. I have always been quite into outdoor pursuits and cycling but am less able to do that now, so it's great to have the Wii as it helps me stay active and not sit around at home too much.”

One person in every 500 has Parkinson's – that's about 120,000 people in the UK.

Most people who get Parkinson's are aged 50 or over but younger people can get it too. One in 20 are under the age of 40.

Vincent added: “The muscles down my whole left side are affected and occasionally the right side goes too, but I take drugs to help keep it in check.

“I recently found that the yoga programmes with the Wii board are also very helpful to my core strength and balance. I used to train for sports but I now train to just keep active.”

According to Parkinson’s UK, exercise can help people with Parkinson's to control movements, improve balance and improve their mood.

“Through our research, we are hearing of more and more people who are finding the Nintendo Wii games console of particular benefit to them,” said Dr Kieran Breen, director of research.

“As well as being fun and convenient, the Wii has the ability to help people improve their movement, not just fitness.

“Following a survey of around 100 people with Parkinson's who use the Wii, two thirds felt that using the Wii helps them manage their symptoms better.

“They also reported an improvement in their balance, which helps prevent falls that are common with Parkinson's; that it's more convenient than going to the gym and some people don’t feel confident in that environment; that you can track your progress through the exercises, which helps keep you motivated; and finally that the social side of using the Wii with family and friends, combined with the adrenaline, helps improve mood and combat the anxiety and depression many people with Parkinson's experience.”

He added: “Different people experience a range of Parkinson's symptoms so it's difficult to say who the Wii works best for. We will have a better idea of this once our research is fully complete.”