Wednesday 29 February 2012

ReWiiRe: Research for Wii Rehabilitation

Text taken from the ReWiire website

ReWiiRe stands for Research for Wii technology in Rehabilitation. The project aim is twofold. Firstly to investigate therapist use and the patient experience of using the Nintendo Wii console technology in physical rehabilitation programmes in four NHS Trusts across hospital and community settings.

Please click on the link below for comprehensive and detailed information about the project.

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Motor Control Outcomes Following Nintendo Wii Use by a Child With Down Syndrome

Case Study

Pediatric Physical Therapy: Spring 2012 - Volume 24 - Issue 1 - p 78–84

Berg, Patti PT, MA, MPT, NCS; Becker, Tiffany PT, DPT; Martian, Andrew PT, DPT; Danielle, Primrose Kimberly PT, DPT; Wingen, Julie PT, DPT


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Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this work was to examine motor outcomes following an 8-week intervention period of family-supported Nintendo Wii use by a child with a diagnosis of Down syndrome (DS).

Summary of Key Points: A 12-year-old child with a diagnosis of DS and with limited Wii exposure was asked to play Wii games in the home 4 times each week for 20 minutes each session for 8 weeks. Family members were encouraged to participate. The participant chose what games to play and selected 4 different games. Repeatedly practicing the skills involved in these games resulted in improvements in the child's postural stability, limits of stability, and Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, 2nd edition balance, upper-limb coordination, manual dexterity, and running speed and agility standard scores.

Conclusions: Wii game use by a child with DS may elicit improvements in highly practiced motor skills and postural control.

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Tuesday 28 February 2012

Home-based balance training programme using Wii Fit with balance board for Parkinsons’s disease: A pilot study

Journal of Rehabilation Medicine 2012 Feb;44(2):144-50.

Esculier JF, Vaudrin J, Bériault P, Gagnon K, Tremblay LE.
Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Rehabilitation, University of Ottawa, Québec, Canada.

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Abstract
Objectives: To evaluate the effects of a home-based balance training programme using visual feedback (Nintendo Wii Fit game with balance board) on balance and functional abilities in subjects with Parkinson’s disease, and to compare the effects with a group of paired healthy subjects.

Subjects: Ten subjects with moderate Parkinson’s disease and 8 healthy elderly subjects.

Methods: Subjects participated in a 6-week home-based balance training programme using Nintendo Wii Fit and balance board. Baseline measures were taken before training for the Sit-to-Stand test (STST), Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG), Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA), 10-m walk test, Community Balance and Mobility assessment (CBM), Activities-specific Balance and Confidence scale (ABC), unipodal stance duration, and a force platform. All measurements were taken again after 3 and 6 weeks of training.

Results: The Parkinson’s disease group significantly improved their results in TUG, STST, unipodal stance, 10-m walk test, CBM, POMA and force platform at the end of the 6-week training programme. The healthy subjects group significantly improved in TUG, STST, unipodal stance and CBM.

Conclusion: This pilot study suggests that a home-based balance programme using Wii Fit with balance board could improve static and dynamic balance, mobility and functional abilities of people affected by Parkinson’s disease.

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Monday 27 February 2012

Wii Fit® training vs. Adapted Physical Activities: which one is the most appropriate to improve the balance of independent senior subjects? A randomized controlled study

Clinical Rehabilation 2012 Feb 9. [Epub ahead of print]

Toulotte C, Toursel C, Olivier N.
Universite Lille Nord de France, Faculte des sciences du sport et de l'education physique, France.

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Abstract
Objective: To compare the effectiveness of three protocols (Adapted Physical Activities, Wii Fit(®), Adapted Physical Activities + Wii Fit(®)) on the balance of independent senior subjects. Design: Case comparison study.Settings: Healthy elderly subjects living in independent community dwellings. Subjects: Thirty-six subjects, average age 75.09 ± 10.26 years, took part in this study, and were randomly assigned to one of the four experimental groups: G1 followed an Adapted Physical Activities training programme, while the second group (G2) participated in Wii Fit(®) training and the third one (G3) combined both methods. There was no training for the fourth group (G4). All subjects trained once a week (1 hour) for 20 weeks and were assessed before and after treatment. Main measures: The Tinetti test, unipedal tests and the Wii Fit(®) tests. Results: After training, the scores in the Tinetti test decreased significantly (P < 0.05) for G1, G2 and G3 respectively in static conditions and for G1 and G3 in dynamic conditions. After training, the performance in the unipedal tests decreased significantly (P < 0.05) for G1 and G3. The position of the centre of gravity was modified significantly (P < 0.05) for G2 and G3. Conclusion: After 20 training sessions, G1 (Adapted Physical Activities), G2 (Wii Fit(®)) and G3 (Adapted Physical Activities and Wii Fit(®)) improved their balance. In addition, G1 and G3 increased their dynamic balance. The findings suggest that Adapted Physical Activities training limits the decline in sensorial functions in the elderly.

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Click for PubMed entry

Sunday 26 February 2012

Using the Nintendo Wii as an Intervention in a Falls Prevention Group

Journal of American Geriatrics Society. 2012 Feb;60(2):385-7

Griffin M, Shawis T, Impson R, McCormick D, Taylor MJ.
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex.

No abstract is available for this article.

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Saturday 25 February 2012

The Use of Nintendo Wii with Long-Term Care Residents

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Volume 59, Issue 12, pages 2393–2395, December 2011
Kirsten Brandt AB, Miguel A. Paniagua MD, FACP

No abstract available

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Stroke patients' experiences with Wii Sports® during inpatient rehabilitation

Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy
Posted online on February 20, 2012
Authors: Dora Celinder & Hanne Peoples
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Abstract

Introduction: Commercial virtual reality games have been used as adjunct therapy for stroke rehabilitation, mainly after patients have been discharged. The aim of this study was to explore stroke patients' experiences with Wii Sports® as a supplement to conventional occupational therapy in a controlled hospital setting.

Materials and methods: The study had a qualitative triangulation design that included semi-structured interviews and field notes. Nine Danish stroke patients participated, receiving between one and nine interventions with Wii Sports® during a three-week period. Responses were coded by qualitative content analysis.

Results: Analysis revealed one overarching category, “Connecting to past, present, and future occupations”, and three categories that encompassed patients' experiences with Wii: (i) variety, (ii) engagement, and (iii) obstacles and challenges. Interview findings were confirmed by field notes that included observations of engagement and challenges.

Discussion: Stroke patients in hospital settings may experience Wii Sports® as a beneficial and challenging occupation for both rehabilitation and leisure. Incorporation of Wii Sports® into conventional occupational therapy services may benefit patient rehabilitation directly or provide motivation for alternative leisure activities.

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Thursday 2 February 2012

Video Games in Health Care: Closing the Gap

Review of General Psychology
2010, Vol. 14, No. 2, 113–121

Pamela M. Kato
University Medical Center Utrech

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Abstract

Although a great deal of media attention has been given to the negative effects of playing video games,
relatively less attention has been paid to the positive effects of engaging in this activity. Video games in
health care provide ample examples of innovative ways to use existing commercial games for health
improvement or surgical training. Tailor-made games help patients be more adherent to treatment
regimens and train doctors how to manage patients in different clinical situations. In this review,
examples in the scientific literature of commercially available and tailor-made games used for education
and training with patients and medical students and doctors are summarized. There is a history of using
video games with patients from the early days of gaming in the 1980s, and this has evolved into a focus
on making tailor-made games for different disease groups, which have been evaluated in scientific trials
more recently. Commercial video games have been of interest regarding their impact on surgical skill.
More recently, some basic computer games have been developed and evaluated that train doctors in
clinical skills. The studies presented in this article represent a body of work outlining positive effects of
playing video games in the area of health care.

Keywords: video games, interventions, technology, health

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