Rehab

Virtual play leads to real improvements

Rehab Regs, March 18, 2004

Virtual reality games not only bolster self-esteem, but also enable children with physical challenges, finds a recent University of Toronto study. According to Biotech Week, children with cerebral palsy participated in experimental occupational therapy in which the child's image was captured by video camera and inserted into a virtual reality scene on television, such as a volleyball game. Researchers conducted follow-up interviews and found that the simulated games had a positive impact on the children's belief in their abilities. The games, which include activities like soccer, snowboarding and dance, were designed to both replicate the kind of muscle-strengthening movements required in the children's regular therapy sessions and give them a chance to succeed in types of play they might have difficulty accessing otherwise.

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