Philadelphia Physical Therapist Prescribes Wii Time

Philadelphia, PA, January 14, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Since its launch last year, the Nintendo Wii has opened the video game market up to everyone, not just children.

A year later, the Wii began popping up in the most unlikely of places. It can be found in gyms, in retirement homes — and most recently, in physical therapy centers as a tool to assist in physical therapy.

Physical therapists at the Transplex Center for Medicine and Rehabilitation in Philadelphia have recently started incorporating the use of motion sensing video games as part of their rehabilitation training.

Ned Crane, DPT, Director of Rehabilitation at Transplex believes the Wii can help patients build balance, coordination, and endurance as well as upper and lower body strength. Patients find the Wii system a fun way to help achieve their rehabilitation goals, and continue to set new goals and challenges.

Crane has used the Wii in situations where more traditional forms of therapy haven't worked. "We have added this to provide a new component and a stimulus and some excitement," he said. "You get involved and you get engaged and you don't think about doing exercise," he said.
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"If you talk to people using the Wii they will tell you how much fun they're having with it and how fast the time goes by" Crane said.

Located in Northeast Philadelphia, Transplex Center for Medicine and Rehabilitation provides the Philadelphia Metro area with medical, physical therapy and rehabilitation all under one roof.

Transplex Center for Medicine and Rehabilitation provides full service rehabilitation for work-related and accident injuries including, but not limited to, sprains, strains, musculoskeletal disorders, spine injuries, lower extremity injuries, and hand and upper extremity injuries.

With their team approach to treating injuries, they believe rehabilitation starts the day of the injury, and the treatment is not completed until the client is back to work with fully restored function. They specialize in helping patients who have had a difficult time recovering and who suffer from chronic pain.

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