A recent study shows that people recovering from strokes may be able to improve their motor-skills by playing Wii. The study was presented to the American Stroke Association yesterday. The study included a group of 20 stroke survivors who were split up to play 2 Wii games–Cooking Mama, and Wii Sports (Specifically Tennis). After playing 8 hour sessions over a period of two weeks, none of the patients had experienced any harmful side effects (except one person had nausea during the playtime). The main focus of the study was to get patients to move their arms that were previously affected by the stroke, and it worked. The researchers said that the group that used the Wii showed “significant motor improvement in speed and extent of recovery.”
Gustavo Saposnik (the leader of the study) said that “This is the first randomised clinical study showing that virtual reality using Wii gaming technology is feasible and safe and is potentially effective in enhancing motor function following a stroke.”
This article makes you really think about how the Wii is being used not just for gaming, but even in hospitals. Some nice food for thought.
