Patients Give 'Wii-habilitation' A Try

March 14, 2008--People of all ages are putting them to use for exercise, but now another group is tapping into the benefits of Wii. The video game system was intended for entertainment, but its usefulness doesn't stop there.

Channel 13's Elizabeth Klinge reports the system is now helping people with brain injuries return to more of a normal life.

Virtual reality is often used to imagine the future, but for Shantrey Cochran it's a way to remember the past. "Because in real life, before the accident I actually golfed," Cochran said.

Before the accident Shantrey's hands and arms were busy every day. In addition to being a golfer, she worked as a band teacher in southwest Iowa, playing nearly a dozen different instruments and directing young musicians. Last May, a car accident changed everything.

"When she first came in she was in a minimally conscience state and her right arm was pretty contracted," said John Kruzich of On With Life rehabilitation center.

Since then Shantrey has worked every day to regain the use of her body, balance, movement, short-term memory and vision. Three weeks ago she got some extra motivation.

"Some of the people at first were kind of standoffish, when you say we're going to play video games," Kruzich said.

Shantrey was not one of them. Not only does the Wii offer her a break from repetitious exercises, she's able to work on many skills at once and have a little fun in the process.

"You don't have to worry about where your feet are or how the ball is, just how hard you hit it and what direction you hit it in," Shantrey said.

Since then, many of the other patients at On With Life are following her lead, brushing up on their virtual skills in hopes of making them a reality.

Therapists at On With Life say virtual therapy has been around for a while but it was very expensive. The say the Wii offers the same benefits for a smaller price.