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June 13, 2007
Wii Kewl!
Wii being used as therapy tool for wounded troops
Spc. Shawn Roberts, 27, left, from the 581st Signal Company, and Army Staff Sgt. Jason Lord, an occupational therapy assistant, duke it out virtual style on a Nintendo Wii boxing game at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. Phot credit: Ben Bloker / S&S
LANDSTUHL, Germany — Army Spc. Shawn Roberts must play video games.
It’s doctor’s orders.
Every week he goes to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and plays games on the Nintendo Wii to help him recover from injuries sustained in a vehicle accident in Kuwait last April.
The Army hospital is experimenting using the popular video game console as a physical therapy tool for wounded servicemembers. Playing the game makes the often painful and boring therapy session fun, Roberts says.
The alternative is squeezing a ball of putty.
The fact that players have to move the controller in different directions to play the game is why therapists saw some benefit of introducing it to patients.
Posted by LindaSoG at June 13, 2007 06:15 AM