ANN HARBOR, Mich. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — More than 130 million people play video games. But for some, it’s about much more than fun. In fact, it’s just what the doctor ordered. Gaming
Michael Heinrich loves playing video games. But unlike most gamers who use standard controls, he needs to use a specialized, adaptive console. That’s because he lost partial use of his hands, after a motorcycle accident left him a quadriplegic.
Michael Heinrich told Ivanhoe, “I can’t just push buttons, cause you know my thumbs don’t move down.”
He couldn’t raise his arms over his head. So, the controllers were placed up high to build strength.
“I was trying to strength train my triceps by hitting buttons and holding them up in the air for an extended period of time,” Heinrich detailed.
Therapeutic and adaptive gaming is used to help with spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, stroke, amputation, and other disabilities. This is one of only a handful of labs like this in the country. They play games, like Candy Crush, Plants and Zombies, or Rocket Launch.
“So, we would put it towards their head if they were working towards putting their shirt on, we would put it towards their mouth if they were working to feed themselves,” explained Robert Ferguson, MHS, OTRL an occupational therapy clinical specialist at University of Michigan.
For many patients, the rehab doesn’t feel like hard work because they are so immersed in the game. And for some like Heinrich, it’s about more than physical improvements. It’s about being able to play games for fun as well. He’s one of 46 million disabled gamers.
“It was let me engage into a community, let me be a part of something that is not just me working on my weights, but like me being able to play with my friends,” exclaimed Heinrich.
Many companies, like Microsoft, make adaptive controllers. They range in price from about a hundred dollars to over a thousand.
Contributors to this news report include: Hillary Rubin, Producer; Roque Correa, Editor; and Ken LaPlace, Videographer.
GAMING IS THERAPEUTIC FOR THE DISABLED #2930
BACKGROUND: Many people associate gaming with unproductiveness, but gaming is a great way to strengthen the brain, motor skills, and social interaction. For people with limited mobility, such as quadriplegics or disabled veterans, gaming with adaptive controllers is their physical therapy. According to Jamie Kaplan, a recreation therapist at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, Florida, in a VAntage Point article, “VR is useful for helping amputees work on balance, VR guided relaxation and meditation programs can help veterans reduce stress and anxiety and potentially reduce reliance on pain medications such as opioids.” According to a study published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, video games improved 69% of psychological outcomes, 59% of physical therapy outcomes, and 50% of physical activity outcomes.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3391574/)
THE GOOD IN GAMING: In a study conducted at the University of Minho and the University of Evora, both in Portugal, research was done to observe the effectiveness of video games in physical therapy of patients with cerebral palsy. After 16 trials, the researchers found that there were improvements in the arm function, hand coordination, functional mobility, balance and gait function, postural control, upper-limbs function, and physical activity. Practitioners often struggle to get their patients to complete assigned homework tasks due to low motivation to engage in prescribed exercises, but data of this review indicates the use of games as tools suited to promote patients’ engagement in the therapy and therapeutic gains.
(Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01712/full)
LATEST TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN VIDEO GAME THERAPY: Novant Health Rehabilitation Hospital in Winston-Salem, North Carolina is taking physical therapy to a new level with the use of five high-tech video game pieces for speedy recoveries. The first device, Barrett UE (upper extremity) Robotic Trainer, or BURT, helps patients regain function of their shoulders and elbows after a stroke by increasing range of motion and improving strength. The second device, Bioness H200, helps to increase hand function, increase or maintain hand range of motion, reduce muscle spasms, prevent muscle loss, reeducate muscles and increase blood circulation. The third device, Bioness Integrated Therapy System, or BITS, is a touchscreen game that helps patients recovering from traumatic injuries or movement disorders by addressing things like coordination, reaction time, perception, and endurance. The fourth device, Synchrony Dysphagia Solutions Program, helps patients practice swallowing after suffering a stroke. The last device, Biodex FreeStep overhead track and harness system, helps patients improve in their movement therapy while reducing the risk of falling.
* For More Information, Contact:
Noah Fromson
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