When I first heard that the Nintendo Wii could be used in physical rehab from a friend that is a director at a rehabilitation center here in Los Angeles, I laughed thinking she was telling me a joke.  As she began to explain how she uses it in her program, it began to make sense.  You can check out my friend’s blog with info on this and other health related topics: www.nursestacey.com

The Nintendo Wii program has been implemented into rehabilitation programs as an effective, fun, and social treatment modality. The Wii is helping to progress patients, reaching goals of improved coordination-(eye-hand and gross motor), balance (static and dynamic), range of motion, weight bearing….all components addressed working towards an improved independence of functioning  in daily lives.

The Wii is being used in several types of rehab settings, primarily  in-patient acute rehab and skilled nsg facilities-patients suffering from hip/knee replacements, cardio/pulmonary rehab, strokes, multiple sclerosis, etc.

The program addresses many smaller components of rehab to help such patients, such as crossing midline and weight shifting through bilateral lower extremities. Cognitive processing skills are also a key area addressed in this virtual therapy tool, which is essential part of  recovery and progress for many individuals.

Patients are more motivated and enjoying the Wii, and the progress of treatment is justifying the effectiveness.  This could be the most important factor that the Wii bring to rehabilitation.  The Wii does what more traditional therapies attempt to accomplish, by giving patients a second take on rehab and immediate accomplishment/motivation (such as bowling and getting 6 out of 10 pins after having a stroke, playing a game of doubles tennis even with tremors from Parkinson’s disease.)

Currently, games like Wii fitness and Wii sports games are being used.  But as popularity and press on this grows, I imagine we will start to see companies developing games specifically for physical rehabilitation which might in turn further progress the effectiveness of the Nintendo Wii in this process!