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Nymbl app

The Nymbl app was developed for people wanting to improve their balance and mobility and reduce their risk of falling.

Nymbl app	By Nymbl Science
	Features Calendar – shows which days that you have done the exercises/training. Reminder – with the app outlining that the best improvements will be gained from doing this three times per week. Favourites option – different exercises and activities, and this allows a user to compare past performances. Data collection – for ACC, which is described further below. Get the app: (external link) (external link) (external link)
Country of origin	Colorado, USA
Clinical review	Read a clinical review of this app.
Security and privacy	Does the app: collect medical information? Yes require a login? Yes have password protection? No have a privacy policy? Yes require internet access? Yes By medical information, it tracks age, gender, height, falls history and balance data. It's identified in the Privacy Policy that ACC monitors this data to ensure that user balance is being improved, as well as for app development. Mobile and email contacts are also stored for updates on the service, although this can be unsubscribed. Read more safety tips around health apps.
Cost	Free for all New Zealand residents over the age of 50 years. It's not clear on the specific costs for non-New Zealand residents (although cost is implied).
Advertisements	This app contains no ads.

What does the app do?

Nymbl describes itself as an app-based digital health platform. It involves a combination of balance and cognitive games and training to target improving balance and mobility – especially for older populations. It's designed to improve balance and mobility for people with a recognised risk of falling who are over the age of 50 years.

The app has an initial questionnaire, training modules, feedback and calendar options to ensure that training can be tracked and progressed at an appropriate level.

It would be most helpful for people with a history of falling, or with concerns around balance or mobility. It's unlikely that younger people without balance concerns would get significant benefit from the app.

It's acknowledged that currently in Aotearoa New Zealand, if someone is having a fall/accident, they are likely to get physiotherapy input aimed at improving their balance. However, if they haven’t yet had a fall, but are concerned about their balance, they might not necessarily get health professional input. This app will be especially helpful to ensure that those in that group can work on their balance, and hopefully prevent future falls.

For the complete app description, go to the app website(external link), Google Play(external link), App Store(external link) or, for a more detailed review, see Reviews.

PROS	CONS
✔ Questionnaire and education: The questionnaire at the start of the app is really good. It allows the app to get a good understanding of the user’s current levels of balance and mobility. I like with this that there is an explanation with each question, which gives relevance. Eg, “I need to push up with my hands to stand from a chair”. Why: This can be a sign of leg muscle weakness. ✔ Feedback functionality: At the end of each session, a user gives feedback on level of difficulty (too hard, too easy, just right) and any pain experienced throughout the session. This ensures it's aimed at a correct level. ✔ Wide range of cognitive activities: The app works off the established premise that combining balance and cognitive activities is an effective way to improve balance (and cognition). There's a nice range of varied activities, which have recently been updated, and this included: including memory, trivia, puzzles and math, what is it and words sections. This variety will help keep users interested. ✔ Calendar/reminder function: Helps users to ensure that they can use the app at the recommended 3 times weekly frequency.	✘ Only available in English. ✘ It would be great to have a health professional aspect to the app and allow a GP/physio/other health professional to be able to prescribe or choose particular exercises for a patient. This is not a con for current use – more of an opportunity for development.

PROS

CONS

✔ Questionnaire and education: The questionnaire at the start of the app is really good. It allows the app to get a good understanding of the user’s current levels of balance and mobility. I like with this that there is an explanation with each question, which gives relevance.
Eg, “I need to push up with my hands to stand from a chair”.
Why: This can be a sign of leg muscle weakness.

✔ Feedback functionality: At the end of each session, a user gives feedback on level of difficulty (too hard, too easy, just right) and any pain experienced throughout the session. This ensures it's aimed at a correct level.

✔ Wide range of cognitive activities: The app works off the established premise that combining balance and cognitive activities is an effective way to improve balance (and cognition). There's a nice range of varied activities, which have recently been updated, and this included: including memory, trivia, puzzles and math, what is it and words sections. This variety will help keep users interested.

✔ Calendar/reminder function: Helps users to ensure that they can use the app at the recommended 3 times weekly frequency.

✘ Only available in English.

✘ It would be great to have a health professional aspect to the app and allow a GP/physio/other health professional to be able to prescribe or choose particular exercises for a patient. This is not a con for current use – more of an opportunity for development.