Balance Board Recalibration

It is possible to use the balance board (Fit board) in ways other than the standing posture it is prompted as using.

The balance board works by using 4 pressure pads. Each game that uses the balance board will go through a ‘calibration’ process. By changing the weight that the balance board measures during this calibration will set the ‘expectation’ of the board for the games played. For example, someone standing on the balance board for the Wii Fit activities will likely be putting 50kg+ of weight through the board, and therefore the game adjusts the pressure needed to play the games accordingly, so that its not too quick or too slow.

For someone sitting on the balance board (with feet on the floor) the pressure/weight going through the board in less, and in the same way if someone is sitting down with just feet on the balance board there will be even less pressure/weight being used and the pressure pads need to be set up to pick up the reduced pressure/weight changes.

Instructions:

During any calibration process keep the weight/pressure going through the balance board at a minimum. This could be from 2 hand held weights, 2 bottles of water or simply lightly pushing on the board with your hands.

So long as the balance board registers a weight/pressure it will successfully calibrate.

The rest of this process will be that the board is much more sensitive to lighter weight/pressure through it and so can be played in the different positions, each of which deliver less weight than when used in standing.

It is advisable that you set up and test this process before using it with a patient – it can be time consuming to set the equipment up during a therapy session.

Top Therapy Tip:

When using Wii Fit/Wii Fit Plus for therapy – Create a couple of ‘Mii’s’ and set them up to be:

• Sitting on the board
• Sitting on a seat with feet on the board
• Placed on a table and used with upper limb pressure

You then need not go through the calibration settings each time – you just choose the Mii that matches the activity that you want to work on.

Photos of using balance board in different positions/postures

    

Sitting on Board                           Feet on Board                                Upper Limbs on Board

 

Games that you can use with the recalibrated Balance Board:

Wii Fit / Wii Fit Plus

Perfect ten                          – sitting; feet; upper limbs

Birds Eye Bulls Eye           – sitting

Balance Bubble Plus          – sitting; feet; upper limbs

Island Cycling                    – feet

Soccer Heading                  – sitting; feet; upperlimbs

Ski Slalom                          – sitting; feet; upperlimbs

Tilt Table                           – sitting; feet; upperlimbs

Snowboard Slalom           – sitting; feet; upperlimbs

Tight Rope Walking         – sitting; feet; upperlimbs

Balance Bubble                 – sitting; feet; upperlimbs

Penguin Slide                   – sitting; feet; upperlimbs

Lotus Focus                      – sitting

Deep Breathing               – sitting

 

Family Ski

Ski-ing can be controlled by sitting, feet or upper limbs. When using upper limbs to control balance board a second person will be needed to control the Wii Remote and Nunchuck.

 

We Ski & Snowboard

Ski-ing can be controlled by sitting, feet or upper limbs. When using upper limbs to control balance board a second person will be needed to control the Wii Remote and Nunchuck.

Snowboarding can be controlled by sitting, feet or upper limbs but is more complex due to the need to turn the balance board through 90 degrees. When using upper limbs to control balance board a second person will be needed to control the Wii Remote and Nunchuck.

 

Shaun White (1 & 2) 

Snowboarding can be controlled by sitting, feet or upper limbs but is more complex due to the need to turn the balance board through 90 degrees. When using upper limbs to control balance board a second person will be needed to control the Wii Remote, but is only required for tricks.

 

Download Info

Vitalyz is a company that offers exercise training for care sector, activity training and residential care home training.  They have put together a document with additional instructions on how to recalibrate the balance board for those sitting down and playing the games with feet on board.

Vitalyz Recalibration Document  

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