http://www.geekosystem.com/stroke-rehab-game/
Over 325,000 suffer from Hemiparesis, a weakness or inability to move one side of the body, which can occur after a stroke. Since rehab can be an incredibly difficult and expensive process, researchers at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center have come up with a new at-home healing processes – and it involves a game for the Kinect.
Stroke victims who suffer from hemiparesis often have difficulty executing basic functions like eating or dressing; sadly, the most effective form of treatment, Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (or CI) is only able to be administered to less than 1% of affected patients.
“Lack of access, transportation and cost are contributing barriers
to receiving CI therapy,” said Lynne Gauthier, an assistant professor at
OSU’s College of Medicine. “To address this disparity, our team
developed a 3D gaming system to deliver CI therapy to patients in their
homes.”
So, with a neuroscientist, clinicians, computer scientists,
electrical engineers, and biochemists on board, Gauthier’s team
developed a game for the Kinect; the patient slips on a
movement-tracking glove to their affected side, weighs down the
extremities on the non-affected side, and starts swinging away. The game
takes place in a river canyon, and patients can row down the river,
swat bats, grab bottles, fish, and find treasure chests.
“This novel model of therapy has shown positive results for
individuals who have played the game. Gains in motor speed, as measured
by the Wolf Motor Function Test, rival those made through traditional CI
therapy,” said Gauthier. “It provides intense high quality motor
practice for patients, in their own homes. Patients have reported they
have more motivation, time goes by quicker and the challenges are
exciting and not so tedious.”
If the initial trial is successful, the game could be expanded to treat patients with brain injuries, celebral palsy, and MS.
Who said the Kinect wasn’t good for anything?
(via Ohio State University, image via OSU Multimedia Newsroom)Are these earlier studies not good enough? Is no one in charge of following a strategic path? Hell I could do better than this and I'm brain-damaged.
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