A new study in Canada will look at the effects of playing physically interactive video games, like the Nintendo Wii, on people who have suffered a stroke and are in the process of recovery.
A new study in Canada will look at the effects of playing physically interactive video games like the Nintendo Wii on people who have suffered a stroke and are in the process of recovery.
140 stroke patients are expected to participate in the study that will compare the effects of playing video games with other game activities like playing cards or dominoes.
Previous research has shown that video games might be a promising rehabilitation treatment for stroke patients.
Dr. Sean Dukelow, stroke specialist with the University of Calgary’s Hotchkiss Brain Institute said: “I’m betting on the virtual reality... Certainly, what we’ve seen is viable. It enhances the recovery of the brain…We are actually re-wiring areas of the brain that died from a stroke.”
Another project called Limbs Alive creates video games and controllers specifically designed as physical therapy for stroke patients.
Limbs Alive has worked with researchers from Newcastle University to design games that provide a stimulating and challenging way to make rehabilitation more fun.