Nintendo’s Wii, released in November 2006, is a revolutionary new gaming system that has quickly surpassed the stereotypical teen gaming set and has become a favorite of all ages. The ease of use of the controllers and the interactivity of the games makes the Wii a unique and rewarding gaming experience for people of all ages and abilities.
Rehabilitation Benefits
Rehabilitation hospitals all over the country are purchasing Wii game systems to use as part of the physical therapy routines for patients recovering from illnesses, strokes, accidents and combat injuries. Patients use the unique, motion-sensitive game controller to play games to build arm strength and enhance their reflexes and hand-eye coordination.
The most popular games played in rehab hospitals and physical therapy programs are the sports games. Wii Sports includes tennis, baseball, golf, bowling and boxing.
Because of the controller’s motion sensor, all of these games require the player to use the actual movements required in the actual sport. That is to say, the gamer must perform an actual tennis serve or golf swing for the game to work properly.
These games, except for boxing, are especially helpful for stroke patients who have regained use of only one arm. They only require the use of a single controller, whereas boxing requires the use of the controller and the nunchuk simultaneously.
According to James Osborn of Southern Illinois Healthcare, the Wii is such a powerful rehab tool because, “when people can refocus their attention from the tediousness of the physical task, they oftentimes do better.”
The Wii-hab approach to rehabilitation is being used with patients of all ages. Wakemed in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been using Wii games as a physical therapy tool with patients as young as 9 to those in their 80’s. “They think it’s entertainment, but we know it’s for therapy,” says Lt. Col. Stephanie Daugherty, chief of occupational therapy at Water Reed Army Medical Center. The Wii is useful in occupational therapy for people of all ages because it helps them redevelop the coordination to relearn daily living skills such as brushing teeth and combing hair.
Finding Scientific Proof
Although rehab professionals can attest to the benefits of the Wii in physical and occupational therapies, there is no scientific evidence to support the theory. Researchers at the University of South Carolina have turned the phenomenon of Wii-hab into a research project. There may soon be, however. The university received $200,000 from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to study exactly how well Wii games help stroke patients and other in need of rehabilitation recover motor skills.
The Wii Fit is also proving to have benefits of its own. Researchers at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland have undertaken a four-month study of people over the age of 70 to determine whether the video game, which includes yoga poses and balance exercises, to determine if balance improves with regular use of the Wii Fit. This theory of balance improvement can also apply to ambulatory stroke patients, as well as any number of other disabilities that cause balance issues.
As for Nintendo, they don’t market Wii’s potential use in physical therapy but according to a spokesperson, the company is “happy to see that people are finding added benefit in rehabilitation.”
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