Perry, a patient at Ohio State University Medical Center's Dodd Hall Rehabilitation Hospital in Columbus, has been working to fix the muscles in the right side of his body, immobilised as a consequence of a stroke some weeks ago. Perry has started to notice some improvements now that the Wii has been added to his list of rehabilitative tasks. "I'm just now getting some movement back," Perry said.
After playing the Wii at a friend's place, Dodd Hall Occupational Therapist Robbie Winget was persuaded of the physical benefits that could result from playing the console. Winget, who supervises use of the video game system at Dodd Hall, said news that a rehabilitation hospital using the Wii in Alberta, Canada, was largely responsible for his proposal.
Winget believes that the patients' balance, coordination, endurance and upper and lower body strength can be improved through use of the Nintendo Wii. "I thought it was cool that you used your body to control the movement," said Winget, while noting that Nintendo had not supplied the hospital with the system. Winget also said that Dodd Hall Rehabilitation Hospital had been using the Wii for the last few months to assist patients recovering from strokes, as well as spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries.
Nonetheless, the Wii will not be a substitute for more conventional therapy. "It's one more way to meet specific goals associated with therapy," Winget said.
This news follows a segment from ABC TV's Good Game earlier this year that Wii Bowling was being used at a retirement village with a number of positive effects on residents.
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