Lately, I’ve been reading many articles about the use of Nintendo’s Wii Fit as part of the rehabilitation process in many hospitals and outpatient clinics alike. We have been using the Wii Fit in the clinic where I work as a physical therapy aide for one year. We’ve found that it not only makes physical therapy sessions and the rehabilitation more fun, but has also improved our patients’ proprioception and balance as well.
Some therapists, however, are refuting the use of the Wii in a rehab setting as beneficial to patients. Eric Robertson, author of the blog site NPA think tank, thinks that the use of the Wii has potential to be harmful not only to the patients, but to the reputation of physical therapists (the blog can be found on this page (scroll down)). As a student of physical therapy, it is my belief that the Wii can be used successfully as a tool to enhance each patient’s treatment sessions. Robertson claims that since physical therapy is moving toward the doctoring profession, that therapist should be using their hands and doctorate education to make patients better. I would agree however; why can’t physical therapist use their knowledge of the body in conjunction with a tool that, not only makes therapy sessions interactive and fun, but gives therapists instant feedback as to where patients are shifting their weight? When is the last time someone was able to tell what percentage of a patient’s body weight was on the right leg versus the left just by looking at them? Not only is the Wii Fit a good biofeedback tool for patients to visualize their weight shifting, but with our doctoring and professional guiding hands, we can make PT more fun.
Even though some therapists disagree with the use of the Wii in a rehab setting, there have been a few studies that have shown improvements with peoples’ symptoms of Parkinson’s. Dr. Herz, an assistant professor of occupational therapy in the School of Allied Health Sciences and a study principal investigator along with Dr. John Morgan, neurologist, have found that using the Wii as a source of supplemental therapy leads “to physical, cognitive, psychological, and social aspects that address skills necessary to maintain independence and mobility in individuals with Parkinson’s disease.” (Parkinsons.org)
With the success of these kinds of studies (such as Decker et el from Rutgers University), other preliminary studies have started with positive outcomes showing the use of the Wii as a low cost rehabilitation tool. If physical therapists can make treatment sessions more fun while applying their doctorate knowledge of the body to make their patients better, then I think we should apply any means we can to make each patient happy and healthy.
For more current info on wiihabilitation, please visit http://www.wiihabilitation.org/
Some therapists, however, are refuting the use of the Wii in a rehab setting as beneficial to patients. Eric Robertson, author of the blog site NPA think tank, thinks that the use of the Wii has potential to be harmful not only to the patients, but to the reputation of physical therapists (the blog can be found on this page (scroll down)). As a student of physical therapy, it is my belief that the Wii can be used successfully as a tool to enhance each patient’s treatment sessions. Robertson claims that since physical therapy is moving toward the doctoring profession, that therapist should be using their hands and doctorate education to make patients better. I would agree however; why can’t physical therapist use their knowledge of the body in conjunction with a tool that, not only makes therapy sessions interactive and fun, but gives therapists instant feedback as to where patients are shifting their weight? When is the last time someone was able to tell what percentage of a patient’s body weight was on the right leg versus the left just by looking at them? Not only is the Wii Fit a good biofeedback tool for patients to visualize their weight shifting, but with our doctoring and professional guiding hands, we can make PT more fun.
Even though some therapists disagree with the use of the Wii in a rehab setting, there have been a few studies that have shown improvements with peoples’ symptoms of Parkinson’s. Dr. Herz, an assistant professor of occupational therapy in the School of Allied Health Sciences and a study principal investigator along with Dr. John Morgan, neurologist, have found that using the Wii as a source of supplemental therapy leads “to physical, cognitive, psychological, and social aspects that address skills necessary to maintain independence and mobility in individuals with Parkinson’s disease.” (Parkinsons.org)
With the success of these kinds of studies (such as Decker et el from Rutgers University), other preliminary studies have started with positive outcomes showing the use of the Wii as a low cost rehabilitation tool. If physical therapists can make treatment sessions more fun while applying their doctorate knowledge of the body to make their patients better, then I think we should apply any means we can to make each patient happy and healthy.
For more current info on wiihabilitation, please visit http://www.wiihabilitation.org/
Ryan Orser
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