[Purpose] The aim of this study was to assess the effects of 8 weeks of Wii Fit balance game training on the balance abilities of students with intellectual disabilities. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-four students with intellectual disabilities were selected and randomly divided into Wii Fit balance game training, physical education, and sedentary activity groups. The Wii Fit balance game training group received two 40-minute Wii Fit balance game training sessions per week for a total of 8 weeks. Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance and the Wilcoxon signed rank test were used to compare differences. [Results] After eight weeks of training, the Wii Fit balance game training group showed significant differences between the pre- and post-training parameters, including the duration of standing on one leg with the eyes closed, average anteroposterior movement speed, swing area per unit time, and speed strength index. The physical education group showed significant differences between the pre- and post-training speed strength index values. The sedentary activity group did not show any significant differences between the pre- and post-training parameters. [Conclusion] Wii Fit balance game training can improve static balance and lower extremity muscle strength in students with intellectual disabilities.

Background: It is known that lower-limb muscle strength is easily maintained in elderly people who practice Tai Chi, although it is necessary to maintain lower-limb muscle strength even as age increases in order to prevent falls. However, the effect of long-term Tai Chi practice and age on lower-limb ability is unclear in middle-aged and elderly people. This research was designed to compare lower-extremity parameters during a countermovement jump between middle-aged and elderly individuals who frequently practice Tai Chi Chuan and individuals in the general population who constituted the healthy group. Methods: There were four groups, and each group included 12 participants. Ten Vicon motion system infrared cameras and two Kistler force plates were used. The data were standardized and analysed using independent-measure two-way ANOVA. Results: The statistical results showed that there was no interaction between the age factor and exercise type factor. The statistics of age factor also showed that age may decrease the jump height (36.36%), peak knee power (24.74%) and peak ankle power (21%) during the take-off phase. In the exercise type factor, long-term Tai Chi training significantly increased the jump height (60%), peak knee moment (19.80%), peak ankle moment (8.06%), peak hip power (29.80%), peak knee power (31.23%) and peak ankle power (16.88%) during the take-off phase. Conclusion: This study shows that long-term Tai Chi training can slow ageing-related functional decline. According to the results of this study, middle-aged and elderly people are encouraged to regularly perform Tai Chi exercises to increase the strength of various muscle groups in the lower limbs and slow the lower-limb muscle changes caused by ageing.