Stroke Patients Recover With Video Game Rehabilitation

With the innovation of consoles and accessories such as the Wii, Playstation Move, and Kinect, the health care industry is utilizing the new active form of gaming into their own procedures.

Researchers have published a study at the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews on the effectiveness of video games on the rehabilitation of stroke patients. Patients dealing with the aftermath of strokes often have difficulty performing activities of daily living (ADL’s) with customary efficiency.

The authors found “evidence that the use of virtual reality and interactive video gaming may be beneficial in improving arm function and ADL function when compared with the same dose of conventional therapy. There was insufficient evidence to reach conclusions about the effect of virtual reality and interactive video gaming on grip strength or gait speed.”

Researchers suggested that more studies must be completed, especially over long periods of time.

Via The Cochrane Collaboration