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| And a Wii Bit of Balance: A physical therapist's view on how yoga applies to everyday life |
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by Lisa B. Minn, PT - July 1, 2011
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Last time I wrote about the pros and cons of WiiFit Yoga. I wore my yoga student and teacher hats but today I don my physical therapist hat. As a PT I felt compelled to experiment with WiiFit's Balance Games, just to see how they might be used by patients either during or after rehabilitation.
I first tried out Snowboard Slalom which required fast-paced anterior/posterior weight shifting. At first I performed horribly until I realized that the required change in center of gravity is much smaller than actual snowboarding. You have to keep your hips centered while shifting from toes to heels. Once I got this, I set the household record! This particular game wouldn’t go far enough to train high-level patients to actually return to snowboarding which requires a much greater level of balance, core strength, and endurance however I think it could be a great game for some older adults to practice balance. As we age, we tend to balance ourselves more and more proximally. In other words, we make fewer adjustments at the ankles and more by throwing our hips or torsos forward or back. This is associated with delayed responses and greater risk for falls. Snowboard Slalom might be a fun way for older adults with mild impairments to improve their ankle strategy for balance.
I also played Balance Bubble, a game in which you guide a bubble down a narrow river by walking in place on the balance board. It required weight-shifting in multiple directions, responding to random disturbances such as bees flying nearby threatening to burst your bubble and required alterations in pace and speed. It was a lot of fun but maddening because it couldn’t get past the fork in the river. One major drawback of this game and others is that they are quite challenging and can not be adjusted to accommodate a lower level of reaction and timing. So patients who have more significant impairments may simply get frustrated by the games especially when their avatar hangs his head after the score is produced.
Lotus Focus is an interesting game. You actually sit on the board and the object is to be still for as long as possible. I think the upper limit was only about 3 minutes. While that amount of time is nothing for experienced meditators, I was impressed that my 8 year old niece was able to do it. Never too early to learn stillness! Lotus Focus could possibly be useful for those with impaired sitting balance however it is unlikely that someone with that impairment would be able to sit on the floor. It would either require a lot of assistance to make the transfer or they would be too tight in the legs to sit comfortably or likely both. I don’t know if it is possible to elevate the balance board onto a bench but if it is, Lotus Focus could be a great way for people to practice sitting balance.
Overall, I think WiiFit balance has very limited application for physical therapy. I do think it is a fun way to motivate those without impairments to maintain balance however, those with impairments are likely to under-perform on these games resulting in frustration, diminished self-esteem and lack of motivation. Fortunately there are therapists out there who have gotten in the game-design business. I was recently on a focus panel for a company who is in the midst of developing games that can be used by PTs, OTs and speech therapists.
What is your experience with using video games in rehab, either as a patient or as a therapist? If you've never used it, is it something you would be interested in? What other ways do you think we can incorporate technology into therapy sessions?
Lisa Minn is a licensed physical therapist and yoga enthusiast. She has been incorporating aspects of Yoga and Pilates into her physical therapy practice since 2001 and became a certified yoga instructor in 2004. Her experience ranges from working with athletes at West Point and Georgetown to instructing elderly and wheelchair-bound clients in the fundamentals of Hatha Yoga. Lisa has conducted several lectures and workshops across the US, as well as in Honduras and Peru, where she volunteered her services. She currently resides and practices in Northern California. This and other articles by Lisa can be found at The Pragmatic Yogi.
The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
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