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Nintendo Wii Adopted By Physical Therapists for Patients

by Tim Stevens on December 7, 2007 at 02:22 PM

Wii Adopted by Physical Therapists

Despite all the stories that claim video games are corrupting our children, plenty of good news regarding video games is also surfacing lately, much of due to Nintendo's charge to expand its market to non gamers. This was spurred on by the success of games like 'Brain Age' among senior citizens, and now the Wii is finding even more success in strange places, like physical therapy offices.

Some therapists are now using the device as a fun prescription, a means to force patients to focus on things like balance and coordination and do so in a confined space. The bowling game in 'Wii Sports,' for example, requires good timing and some reasonably precise movements, and, best of all, can be played without swinging a real bowling ball around.

The Wii Balance Board, coming to the U.S. sometime next year, should make the console even more attractive, allowing the Wii to chart gamers' balance as they perform simple calisthenics, simulate ski jumps, and play silly games that involve leaning.

Now if only if were actually possible to buy one of the things before Christmas.

From Reuters

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Tags: Nintendo Wii, NintendoWii, Physical Therapy, PhysicalTherapy, Weird Science, WeirdScience, Wii

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