Experts have been suggestion for years that regular exercise is the key to good health and that they key to regular exercise is to make it fun. Now doctors are taking the same advice into the physical therapy arena. Following are clips from a terrific article about the experimental practice.
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Franklin Perry used to spend hours performing video game feats with his thumbs but lately he has been using the Nintendo Wii, and the rest of his body, to regain his strength after suffering a stroke.
Robbie Winget, an occupational therapist who oversees use of the Wii at Dodd Hall, said news that a rehab hospital in Alberta, Canada, was using the popular new video game system sparked the idea.
"I thought it was cool that you used your body to control the movement," said Winget, who added that Nintendo has not provided the hospital with the video game console.
All the patients at Dodd Hall usually undergo a total of three hours of daily therapy and work with the video game system for about 30 minutes per day two to three times per week.
"This is more fun. It makes it more exciting. It gets me to work harder," said Perry, who has a fierce video game rivalry with his teenage nephew.
|
