Potential of the Nintendo Wii™ as a rehabilitation tool for children with cerebral palsy in a developing country: a pilot study
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Published on: April 12, 2016
C Gordon1, S Roopchand-Martin, A Gregg
1Section of Physical Therapy, University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica.
Insights
The Nintendo Wii shows promise as a rehabilitation tool for children with cerebral palsy (CP), potentially improving their gross motor function. Further clinical trials are recommended to confirm its effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation technology
- Pediatric physical therapy
- Assistive technology
Background:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) presents significant challenges for gross motor function in children.
- Developing countries often have limited access to advanced rehabilitation resources.
- Innovative and accessible tools are needed to support CP management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the feasibility of using the Nintendo Wii as a rehabilitation tool for children with CP in a developing country.
- To assess the potential impact of Wii-based interventions on the gross motor function of these children.
Main Methods:
- A pilot study with a pre-post-test design was conducted at the Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Center in Jamaica.
- Seven children aged 6-12 years with dyskinetic CP participated; one dropped out.
- Intervention involved 6 weeks of twice-weekly Nintendo Wii training using sports games (Boxing, Baseball, Tennis).
Main Results:
- High adherence was observed, with 100% attendance and full session completion for all participants who finished the study.
- Participants engaged in 2-3 games based on their mobility (wheelchair-bound or ambulant).
- The mean Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) score improved from 62.83 to 70.17.
Conclusions:
- The Nintendo Wii demonstrates potential as a valuable rehabilitation tool for children with cerebral palsy.
- The study suggests that Wii-based interventions may positively influence gross motor function.
- Further rigorous clinical trials are warranted to establish the efficacy of the Nintendo Wii in CP rehabilitation.
Objectives:
To explore the possibility of using the Nintendo Wii™ as a rehabilitation tool for children with cerebral palsy (CP) in a developing country, and determine whether there is potential for an impact on their gross motor function.
Design:
Pilot study with a pre-post-test design.
Setting:
Sir John Golding Rehabilitation Center, Jamaica, West Indies.
Participants:
Seven children, aged 6 to 12 years, with dyskinetic CP were recruited for the study. One child dropped out at week 4.
Intervention:
Training with the Nintendo Wii was conducted twice weekly for 6 weeks. The games used were Wii Sports Boxing, Baseball and Tennis.
Main Outcome Measures:
Percentage attendance over the 6-week period, percentage of sessions for which the full duration of training was completed, and changes in gross motor function using the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM).
Results:
All six participants who completed the study had 100% attendance, and all were able to complete the full 45 minutes of training at every session. Those who were wheelchair bound participated in two games, whilst those who were ambulant played three games. The mean GMFM score increased from 62.83 [standard deviation (SD) 24.86] to 70.17 (SD 23.67).
Conclusion:
The Nintendo Wii has the potential for use as a rehabilitation tool in the management of children with CP. Clinical trials should be conducted in this area to determine whether this could be an effective tool for improving gross motor function.
