I wish I had Wii therapy when I broke my arm

Physical therapists prescribe Wii time

The title really says it all. It's not really news news, though, since it's been tried before.

The hospital has been using the Wii for about four months to help people recovering from strokes and spinal cord or traumatic brain injuries, according to Winget.

Therapists at Dodd Hall use the Wii's tennis, golf, bowling, baseball and boxing games -- which require patients to mimic real-world play while holding a motion-sensing controller -- for physical therapy. Patients also use the Web-connected console to find information on its news or weather channels to improve brain function.

They also note the fact that the Wii requires more kinesthetic interaction than other more conventional controller-based game systems. My favorite part of the article is the second half that is more specific about Perry, one of the patients who use the Wii.

His therapists said he is pushing hard on all of his exercises, but Perry said the video games are helping him go to the next level.

"This is more fun. It makes it more exciting. It gets me to work harder," said Perry, who has a fierce video game rivalry with his teenage nephew.

...

Perry said he has two goals -- getting home by Christmas and getting a Wii, supplies of which are tight for the second holiday season in a row.

"I wish I could find one," said Perry. "Anybody that's over who wants to play can play. If not, I'll be on that thing all by myself."