Researchers and senior-center operators say waving the
Wii’s motion-activated joystick to throw virtual punches or swim
laps may improve health.
“If it does show real benefit it could be a huge asset for
rehabilitation and increasing physical activity,” said Stacy
Fritz, director of the Rehabilitation Laboratory at the
University of South Carolina, which is studying whether the Wii
can help stroke victims.
Mayo Clinic researchers endorsed the use of movement-
oriented video games to reduce childhood obesity in a 2006 study
in the journal Pediatrics.
Xrtainment Zone, a Redlands, California-based fitness
center built around video games that require physical activity,
is developing a study with Loma Linda University School of
Public Health on the Wii’s benefits for seniors.
Cedric Bryant, chief science officer for the American
Council on Exercise, said that while the Wii can benefit seniors
returning to physical activity, traditional exercise produces
better results.
