I assume everyone is well aware of the ill effects that loads of gaming can induce over and extended period of time. Also, I feel we are all conscious of the rising obesity rates across the globe due to an increase in multiple variables. It can be attributed to the expansion of fast food chains making it easier to access empty caloric food to the advancement in technology, allowing hard labor tasks to be accomplished by machines or in some cases robots. Luckily for us there is one piece of tech that is assisting in a growing trend that mixes video games with exercise. I know this may be old news to some of you but for those of you who haven’t learned of it’s influence on health or the advancement in rehabilitation assistance it has had, let me introduce to you the Nintendo Wii.




The unique controls of the Wii are instantly recognizable. Gone are the days of dual joysticks to control the aiming reticule or pressing a combination of buttons to activate a door. Now with the Sensor Bar and Wiimote you are pointing and shooting at your enemies and using the 3D Accelerometer to mimic picking a lock to open doors. This new interface for gaming alone has gotten kids, teens and adults alike up out of their chairs and onto their feet… or at least on the edge of their seats. Almost every game for the Wii uses this new form of user interface and with the honing of this technology it’s only going to get better. The Wii remote and Nunchuk are not the only innovative controllers used exclusively for the Wii. This brings us to my next point.




With such games as Wii Sports, My Fitness Coach or Wii Fit, assisted by the Wii Balance Board, it is no secret that Nintendo is trying, and succeeding, to make more physically active games. In fact these games are doing so well at increasing kids heart rates across the globe that the International Sports Sciences Association endorsed Wii’s fitness benefits. In one instance, Al Grant, an ISSA certified trainer commented "I think any gaming system that gets the users off the couch and moving around has obvious health benefits. I saw kids using the Wii in the mall and they were working up quite a sweat playing the boxing and tennis games". Anyone who has stepped into a yoga studio knows what Wii Fit has in store for you. Wii Fit gets your heart pumping and limbs loose with a good balance of stretching, cardio and coordination mini games. It doesn’t take a certified physician to come to the conclusion that with discipline and mediation the Wii can be used as an effective physical training tool to lose weight and gain muscle.




If you have ever endured the long and strenuous activity of physical therapy you probably thought to yourself, “Isn’t there anything else I can do to help me other than this?” In medical centers from the U.S. to Germany the Wii is being used as a therapy tool for patients recovering from injuries sustained from car accidents to combat injuries. The success of, what has been dubbed by some as, "Wiihabilitation" is the mix of entertainment, challenge and physical activity. Video games are obviously a form of entertainment but what makes the Wii unique, as I have said before, is the motion sensitive control. This motion sensitive control requires the patient to execute movement, similar to therapy exercise, to play the game. Physical therapists are noticing that some patients are pushing themselves further than they would with traditional methods because they get caught up in the game and forget, or ignore, the pain. The end result is a faster recovery and happier patients.

The health benefits alone make the Nintendo Wii an attractive gaming console. Then add good games, new controls and unique game play and you have the ingredients for a fantastic entertainment system. I use the Wii mainly for FPS, Fighter and Music games but I do enjoy "getting my sweat on" playing Wii Sports or Wii Fit.