Wednesday, November 3, 2010

People with MS work out with video games, robotics to improve movement

From The Los Angeles Times:

Any kid can tell you that Wii games are fun, but people with multiple sclerosis also may find them therapeutic.

Wii's motion-sensitive electronic games show some promise in rehabilitating adults with MS, according to British physiotherapist Colin Green. "I have used the Wii system with various clients with MS with some success, in particular in the three areas of balance, aerobic fitness and co-ordination," he writes. Check out the full story at "Does Wii-hab work?"

But the medical world has its own devices and "games" that allow MS patients to exercise their arms and legs in hopes that the brain will relearn those actions through repetitive motions. Fox CT profiles how MS patients at one Hartford rehabilitation center use robotic-like devices and play games to improve movement.

See a video clip of the TV segment called "Video Game Therapy."