Video games were once bad for your health. They involved nothing more sitting down and being completely inactive, aside from a lot of thumbing, for hours on end. Today, with the help of the Nintendo Wii, they might actually do your body some good.
Lately, healthcare providers and physical therapy Oakland specialists say they have been using game applications and programs on the video game system as a tool for physical, occupational and neurological rehabilitation, the New York Times reports.
The Wii allows gamers to make different motions with their bodies to win games and challenges. Balance and movement are common concerns for those recovering from brain injuries or strokes. Others may be working to improve range of motion or gross motor coordination, like walking and lifting.
Physical therapists have found one game in specific, Wii golf, brings an element of pleasure into physical therapy. To play the game, a patient swings the Wii?s wireless hand-held motion-sensitive wand in front of animated screens that simulate holes on a course.? Many have said that the game helped paitients become less dependent on the physical therapists in improving his balance and also motivated him to stay active.
It?s also more fun and entertaining. Scoring provides immediate feedback to patients as their motor skills, range of motion, balance and coordination improve with activity.
Doctors have noted that when recuperating patients played Wii golf at home, they did not regard it as exercise or a physical therapy session. Still, the repetition of movement and the practice of balance have had a positive effect.
Various neurological physical therapy programs around the nation have been adding Nintendo?s video game machine to their regiments with great success. One office in particular, added Wii golf more than two years ago, and since then has seen patients use the game to move beyond medically supervised rehabilitation, often buying the units for personal entertainment at home. Wii golf has also been used as a regular activity to keep seniors engaged and exercising.
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