[projekktor id=’10397′]

It looks like a video game system, but it’s actually balance therapy. Sensors at the ankle, knee and hip give patients real-time visual feedback when challenged by obstacles on the screen.

“I don’t feel my feet underneath me sometimes, and it causes (my) balance to go.”

Donna Flenz, 63, has diabetes and peripheral neuropathy – a loss of feeling in the feet. Balance is a challenge, and she isn’t alone.

Jane Mohler of the Arizona Center on Aging says it’s a huge issue. “About a third of elders over the age of 65 here fall. It’s not uncommon for someone who falls and breaks their hip to go on to be institutionalized or even to die prematurely.”

U.S. podiatrists like Nicholas Giovinco at the University of Arizona are taking a lead in prevention. “I think that we play a very cruicial role in the identification as well as the treatment for patients at risk of falling.”

“There are many occasions where we will identify a patient who’s at risk of falling before even they do.”

In a first-of-its-kind study, University of Arizona researchers tested the virtual reality balance therapy on 29 diabetes patients with neuropathy and a history of falling. After only four weeks they found the interactive program was effective.

Bijan Najafi is one of the researchers. “We saw an increase of more than 35 per cent in improving balance and almost 20 per cent improvement of the gait velocity and gait stability.”

Flenz says she’s improved immensely. “I can play again with my dogs. I feel as though it’s improved my lifestyle.”

Researchers are now working on a home version of this virtual reality balance training program. They expect it will hit the market in another two years.