Video games for rehabilitation

Technology has changed the way children and adolescents play. Videogames and new technologies They seem to have innovative applications in medicine and make it possible to carry out rehabilitation therapies.

The application of video games for rehabilitation and physiotherapy and its encouraging results collide with the recommendations to restrict its use in the younger population.

Rehabilitation and new technologies

Physiotherapy and long and continuous rehabilitation sessions are the routine of many spinal cord injuries, stroke survivors or people with some type of disability. If we put ourselves in their shoes, we can think about the perseverance, willpower and level of motivation that is needed to carry them out. In addition, these rehabilitative therapies are essential to improve the abilities and skills, as well as the quality of life of these patients. The problem resides, above all, in young patients, in the routine and the boring follow-up of the infinite series of exercises. Here, at this point, that of motivation, is where new technologies play a wonderful role. It seems that its use in rehabilitation centers improves the attitude, mood and state of mind of patients, improving adherence to treatment and obtaining better results.

The role of video games for rehabilitation

We might think that with videogames everything is done, but it is not like that. To achieve their objective, the physiotherapist must be present, evaluating that the exercises are done correctly to avoid injuries or so that the use of the video game is as profitable as possible. To all this, we can add that the use of video games in medicine also allows monitoring and recording of the patient's progress, adjusting with greater precision the areas to work and motivating the same informing him of his improvements in an objective way. The most important benefits to date are: improvements in gait, endurance, balance, coordination, muscle strengthening, and cognitive skills training.

Types of videogames

There are several devices applied in rehabilitation. The most traditional would be video game consoles, and the other would be games that do not use any device or controller. In the latter, the sensors can be distributed on the patient's body to be able to play. This forces you to mobilize various muscle groups, evaluating your training and improving.

How they can be applied

There are many experiences about the use of video games as comprehensive rehabilitation tools both in the psychological, social or motor fields, to give a few examples.

• Comprehensive rehabilitation for people with physical disabilities The use of virtual settings, where people with a physical disability can carry out activities of daily living, seems to have a positive therapeutic impact on the psychological, cognitive and social area of ​​the person.
• Consoles and video games for rehabilitation in people with acquired brain damage In several clinical studies the effectiveness of the game with video game consoles has been demonstrated. The involvement of the affected limbs is remarkable, and there are encouraging results that could improve motor ability.
• Neuropsychological rehabilitation in acquired brain damage. The game based on new technologies seeks to offer a therapy that helps to learn and retrain skills lost affected.
• Spinal cord injuries The therapy adapts to the patient and their possibilities, being able to play sitting, lying down or standing. It seems that the results are very encouraging in terms of developing mobility in the pelvis without which it would not be possible to carry out gait (walking), dissociation of both sides of the body or improvement in rocking.
• Helps the elderly with cognitive impairment Although the elderly have arrived at another vital moment to new technologies, they can also benefit from them. It seems that playing with consoles, with games specially designed by a therapist or educator, improves postural control, balance and coordination.
• Support in the Mental training games (challenges, puzzles or memory games) improve the cognitive function of people with multiple sclerosis. The study was published in the journal Radiology and highlights the plasticity of our brain.
• Improve lung capacity in patients with cystic fibrosis The study was published in the Journal of Cystic Fibrosis and concludes that patients with cystic fibrosis satisfactorily tolerate physical exercise performed through active video games, improving pulmonary rehabilitation sessions, their muscle function, improving dyspnea and the quality of life.
• Work the There are specific rehabilitation video games developed to help dyslexic children assimilate phonological processes and word recognition. Therefore, it can be a complementary tool in educational psychology.
• "Virtual anesthesia" The use of video games during unpleasant therapeutic procedures seems to reduce pain. It is a very useful option in children who have to undergo long and unpleasant treatments.

• • Its application in physiotherapy and its encouraging results collide with the recommendations to restrict its use in the younger population.
  • It seems that its use in rehabilitation centers improves the attitude, mood and state of mind of patients, improving adherence to treatment and obtaining better results.
  • The most important benefits to date are: improvements in gait, endurance, balance, coordination, muscle strengthening, and cognitive skills training.

Pediatric specialist