Bianca Clare | 31st March 2012
www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au
A GROUP of Sunshine Coast seniors is set to spend more time in front of the television to see if it helps improve their co-ordination and balance.
University of Sunshine Coast PhD student and physiotherapist Vaughan Nicholson is examining whether the co-ordination and balance for people aged over 55 can be improved by playing Nintendo Wii Fit virtual games.
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Monday, 30 April 2012
Thursday, 26 April 2012
Virtual therapy cord injury patients compete in the digital world.
BY NADINE WILSON Jamaican Observer
Sunday, April 01, 2012
THE single bullet that shattered his spine and his dreams of becoming a track and field coach has not stopped 19-year-old paraplegic, Domingo Blake, from becoming a champion in the boxing ring.
Blake, who was shot last year, said he competed in boxing for the first time just two weeks ago, and already he is hooked. The game is even more fun for him, because he gets to compete against his able-bodied physiotherapist in the virtual boxing world created by the Nintendo Wii gaming system.
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Sunday, April 01, 2012
THE single bullet that shattered his spine and his dreams of becoming a track and field coach has not stopped 19-year-old paraplegic, Domingo Blake, from becoming a champion in the boxing ring.
Blake, who was shot last year, said he competed in boxing for the first time just two weeks ago, and already he is hooked. The game is even more fun for him, because he gets to compete against his able-bodied physiotherapist in the virtual boxing world created by the Nintendo Wii gaming system.
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The Nintendo Wii is an interactive system that relies on wireless controllers and a sensor bar to capture all of the movements and buttons that players use when using a special remote. It comes packaged with "Wii Sports," which is based on physical motion. This means that patients must move their bodies as much as possible to mimic the moves that they can see themselves creating in the virtual world on a television screen.
Although Blake was told he would never walk again, the paraplegic has been able to compete in activities such as cycling, boxing and canoeing, thanks to the virtual gaming platform. The youngster is one of two patients with spinal cord injuries who are currently using the virtual reality video game as part of physical therapy to retrain their cardiopulmonary system as part of research being conducted by the University of the West Indies, Mona, School of Physical Therapy (SPT).
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Although Blake was told he would never walk again, the paraplegic has been able to compete in activities such as cycling, boxing and canoeing, thanks to the virtual gaming platform. The youngster is one of two patients with spinal cord injuries who are currently using the virtual reality video game as part of physical therapy to retrain their cardiopulmonary system as part of research being conducted by the University of the West Indies, Mona, School of Physical Therapy (SPT).
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Friday, 6 April 2012
Falls Reduction & Balance Issues: Wii™ Shows Promise To Help Older Adults Post-Limb Loss
by JOHN DAVY on NOVEMBER 29, 2011
The number of Americans experiencing limb loss is expected to increase from 1.7 million to 3.6 million by 2050, due in large part to the increasing incidence of diabetes and vascular disorders. This is of particular concern to older adults, who are at higher risk for such disorders and who are at a higher risk of potentially dangerous falls after losing a limb. A forthcoming article in the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy presents two case studies of older adults engaged in physical therapy after limb loss, using the Nintendo Wii’s balance and fitness programs. The article suggests that this easily-available, off-the-shelf technology is useful for falls prevention and other physical interventions for older adults who have lost a limb.
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These case studies suggest that the Wii might be a useful component to falls reduction programs for older adults who have lost a limb. Further research would be needed to definitively establish the value of the Wii—for example, how much training would be needed, which games are particularly useful, and would such a program be useful in a broader, more diverse population. Case studies cannot prove that a particular medical intervention would work or definitively show how effective it is, but can be useful in identifying future avenues of research and showing how a treatment may work in a specific context.
These two case studies suggest that the easy-to-obtain Wii system might be a challenging—but entertaining—way to encourage individuals with limb loss to engage in falls reduction programs.
Click here for the full article
The number of Americans experiencing limb loss is expected to increase from 1.7 million to 3.6 million by 2050, due in large part to the increasing incidence of diabetes and vascular disorders. This is of particular concern to older adults, who are at higher risk for such disorders and who are at a higher risk of potentially dangerous falls after losing a limb. A forthcoming article in the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy presents two case studies of older adults engaged in physical therapy after limb loss, using the Nintendo Wii’s balance and fitness programs. The article suggests that this easily-available, off-the-shelf technology is useful for falls prevention and other physical interventions for older adults who have lost a limb.
+/- Click for more/less
These case studies suggest that the Wii might be a useful component to falls reduction programs for older adults who have lost a limb. Further research would be needed to definitively establish the value of the Wii—for example, how much training would be needed, which games are particularly useful, and would such a program be useful in a broader, more diverse population. Case studies cannot prove that a particular medical intervention would work or definitively show how effective it is, but can be useful in identifying future avenues of research and showing how a treatment may work in a specific context.
These two case studies suggest that the easy-to-obtain Wii system might be a challenging—but entertaining—way to encourage individuals with limb loss to engage in falls reduction programs.
Click here for the full article
Monday, 19 March 2012
Sunday, 18 March 2012
Why playing Wii could help your eyes
February 22 2012
By FIONA MACRAE
iOL SciTech
London - It is a discovery unlikely to be popular with parents who tell their children the very opposite.
Playing videogames could actually be good for your eyesight – at least if you have trouble seeing in the first place.
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By FIONA MACRAE
iOL SciTech
London - It is a discovery unlikely to be popular with parents who tell their children the very opposite.
Playing videogames could actually be good for your eyesight – at least if you have trouble seeing in the first place.
Click here for more info
Sunday, 19 February 2012
Get My Fit Data - Wii Fit Data Extraction and Export tool
This online tool is designed to allow you to export weight, bmi, and other fitness data from the Wii Fit for analysis on your computer or upload to other systems. It accepts a back-up data.bin file from Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus games.
Get My Fit Data - Wii Fit Data Extraction and Export tool
It offers the potential for therapists to download the usage of the game and attribute basic information to patients/clients using the game and console.
There is more information about data extraction at the following weblink:
http://www.huanix.com/2010/04/03/export-wii-fit-data-to-a-csv-for-import-into-excel-or-database/
Sunday, 22 January 2012
Early Wii-hab for critical care patients
Critical care patients are being encouraged to start their rehabilitation programme early by playing computer games.
Patients on ventilators are being encouraged to play the Wii games as part of a six month pilot study at Colchester General Hospital.
The initiative is part of a project that aims to accelerate recovery rates and establish the benefits of starting rehabilitation as soon as possible.
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The early stage rehabilitation, which includes using weights and squeezing therapy as well as the Wii games, is now being offered to ventilated patients who are well enough to sit in a chair and breath unaided.
Specialist physiotherapist in respiratory care, Jennifer Powner, who is jointly running the pilot, said: ‘There is now a considerable amount of evidence to show that the earlier rehabilitation begins, the sooner a patient’s recovery starts and the sooner they can leave critical care. ‘Using a Wii can help this group of patients. It is a fun way to introduce and engage patients who are very poorly and anxious about their recovery to the idea of exercise.’
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy - Frontline - Robert Millett
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The early stage rehabilitation, which includes using weights and squeezing therapy as well as the Wii games, is now being offered to ventilated patients who are well enough to sit in a chair and breath unaided.
Specialist physiotherapist in respiratory care, Jennifer Powner, who is jointly running the pilot, said: ‘There is now a considerable amount of evidence to show that the earlier rehabilitation begins, the sooner a patient’s recovery starts and the sooner they can leave critical care. ‘Using a Wii can help this group of patients. It is a fun way to introduce and engage patients who are very poorly and anxious about their recovery to the idea of exercise.’
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy - Frontline - Robert Millett
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The video game has different activities including yoga poses, push-ups, strength, balance and aerobic exercises. Mr Nicholson said laboratory testing of participants from Lend Lease's Hibiscus Bellflower Retirement Resort and Hibiscus Chancellor Park began last week. "The average age of the participants is early 70s," he said. "We are trying to determine if taking part in a Wii Fit balance program improves several clinical and laboratory-based measures of balance and mobility. "Those measures then have a relatively direct relationship to predicting falls."
The Wii Fit includes a balance board that records movements and gives feedback. Mr Nicholson said participants were required to complete three 30-minute sessions a week, over a six-week period, at their retirement villages. "They will have nine balance games to select from, including tightrope walking and ski slalom. "We'll also look at the enjoyment they gain by playing these games because one of the protocols is that they have to do the gaming with at least one other person." Mr Nicolson said his project would be the first to examine potential benefits of Wii Fit on healthy, independent older adults.
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