It is not uncommon to walk by the gym at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital’s outpatient therapy services and see a patient boxing, bowling, playing baseball or trying to balance on a platform.

Physical therapists at Henry Mayo are using the Wii gaming system to facilitate coordination, balance and strength in a variety of patients and, in many cases, improving their recovery times.

“The system is much more fun for some patients than traditional techniques, which allows us to get more effort from participants,” said Heather De Cordova, assistant director, outpatient therapy services.

The game system can be used sitting or standing in both physical and occupational therapies. The system is very adaptable to a variety of patient levels, from the non-ambulatory elderly person to young, brain-injured patients.

“We have found that using this device improves participation in therapy by patients with limited mobility and strength, as well as those who are hard to motivate,” DeCordova said.

The hospital purchased the entire sports package which allows therapists to utilize many different movement patterns, she said.

About Henry Mayo Hospital – Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital is a 227- bed not-for-profit acute care hospital serving the Santa Clarita Valley since 1975. Services include trauma, emergency, intensive care, maternity, surgery, nursing, wound care, behavioral health, and acute rehab, as well as cancer, cardiology, imaging, lab, digestive, respiratory services and physical and occupational therapies. Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital is located at 23845 McBean Parkway, Valencia, CA 91355-2083. For more information, visit www.henrymayo.com or call 661-253-8000

To view our other Health And Beauty articles, click here!