Nintendo's Wii Fit is Helping People Cope with Rehabilitation

The Wii Fit concept grew out of a 5 year old hobby of Mr Shigeru Miyamoto, the Senior Managing Director of Nintendo, of weighing himself and keeping track of his weight on a graph. Mr Shigeru would make this into a game as he discussed his weight loss with his family. These were the humble beginnings of one of Nintendo's most successful games - Wii Fit. There are still shortages of this game.

Initially there were only three people who were working on the Wii Fit Project, as they tried to make a game out of people weighing themselves. The Wii Fit balance board never really developed until a programmer brought in two scales and hooked them up to a computer. Now not only does Wii Fit provide gamers with lots of fun and games, it is also being used in the world of physiotherapy to help patients develop rudimentary physical balance skills.

The Wii Fit balance board is capable of providing instantaneous feedback on a TV screen where the participant has to shift their center of balance. It is now being used by patients who require physiotherapy, such as amputees and stroke patients. It helps these patients

The Wii Fit Balance Board is turning out to be one of the most sensitive controllers of this game. It's sensitivity at differentiating weight distribution, while great for game play, is also great for physiotherapy. Staff at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds England are using the Wii Fit game and Wii Fit balance board to help amputees to adjust to their use a lower prosthetic limb(s). The Wii Fit balance board is able to give instant feedback to the patient on their weight distribution, enabling the patient to quickly adjust their center of balance. Many of the Wii Fit balance games are similar to physiotherapy exercises that these patients would have to undergo.

Patients can see how to distribute their weight as they play Wii Fit balance games such as skiing down the hill, or heading soccer balls, etc, in the mini-games section of Wii Fit.

According to the Health NewsThe LakeEast Hospital therapist Nancy Ditzel uses the Wii Fit game, and in particular the Wii Fit balance game to help stroke patients during their rehalitiation. Many of the stroke patients head soccer balls and try and avoid being hit by soccer boots, try and steer a bubble down a river without it popping, etc. All of these Wii Fit balance games and in particular the balance board are invaluable in helping these patients re-learn many of their motor skills. Many patients also find the games fun and enjoyable, which makes their session more pleasurable