WiiFit, Motor Performance and Cerebral Palsy
The Journal of Physical Therapy Science published research on the effect of training with Nintendo Wii Fit games on motor performance in 40 children with spastic cerebral palsy (6-10 years old and GMFCS Level III). Participants were divided randomly into equal groups: experimental group that practiced with the Nintendo Wii Fit game for at least 20 minutes/day for 12 weeks and the control group that underwent no training. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (mABC-2) was used to assess motor performance.
The results indicated the following:
1. significant improvements in the subscales of the motor performance test of those who practiced with the Nintendo Wii, while the control group showed no significant changes.
The researchers concluded that using motion interactive games in home rehabilitation is feasible for children with cerebral palsy.
Reference: AlSaif AA, Alsenany S.. Effects of interactive games on motor performance in children with spastic cerebral palsy. J Phys Ther Sci. 2015 Jun;27(6):2001-3. doi: 10.1589/jpts.27.2001. Epub 2015 Jun 30.
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