Nintendo's Wii video game system can give you moderate-intensity exercise, according to a study presented to the American Heart Association.*
Wiihabilitation is becoming a craze in rehab therapy to motivate patients recovering from strokes, broken bones, surgery and combat injuries.
The usual stretching and lifting exercises that help the sick or injured regain strength can be painful, repetitive and downright boring.
In fact, many patients say PT - physical therapy's nickname - really stands for "pain and torture."
Using the game console's unique, motion-sensitive controller, Wii games require body movements similar to traditional therapy exercises. Patients almost forget that they're working hard.
The Wii system stirs an inner competitiveness, whether you're boxing or playing tennis against some figure on the screen.
The most popular Wii games in rehab involve sports - baseball, bowling, boxing, golf and tennis. Using the same arm swings required by those sports, players wave a wireless controller that directs the actions of animated athletes on the screen.
The games help beat the monotony of rehab and seem to do the body good, too. It helps being able to work on using your fingers more and figuring out different ways to use your hands and arms.
