Helping Patients Wiihabilitate

Some call it "Wiihabilitation." Nintendo's Wii video game system, whose popularity already extends beyond the teen gaming set, is fast becoming a craze in rehab therapy for patients recovering from strokes, broken bones, surgery and even combat injuries. The usual stretching and lifting exercises that help the sick or injured regain strength can be painful, repetitive and downright boring. In fact, many patients say PT -- physical therapy's nickname -- really stands for "pain and torture," said James Osborn, who oversees rehabilitation services at Herrin Hospital in southern Illinois. [More...]