Wii-habilitation…it was just a matter of time

It’s no secret that rehab can be, well, boring.  It’s about time that the rehab profession leverages a unique and promising technology for increasing compliance with exercise programs at home (and in the gym).

While the Wii won’t replace conventional treatment programs, therapists at the Providence center, among others like the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan and the St. John Senior Community in Detroit, feel it would be a great addition. They say that because it’s so fun — and feels nothing like work — it would motivate patients and help them with balance, weight bearing, coordination and muscle strengthening.

“A lot of patients don’t really want to exercise, but if it involves doing an activity they enjoy, they’d be more apt to do it,” said Jackie Grabinski, a Providence physical therapist. “If you’re moving and standing and doing something, it’s going to work on your muscle strength.