The Journal of mHealth Vol 2 Issue 4 (August) | Page 46
Gaming for Health
Continued from page 43
Another game Stephen plays is Move.
This activity requires the same degree of
upper limb control but with set movement patterns such as a circle or figure
of eight. The patient is required to trace
the shape without leaving the designated path. Deviating from the set path
incurs a loss of points. In both games
the activities can be specifically set up for
the individual patients needs and when
they show signs of progress the parameters can be altered easily to challenge
the patient to achieve improved physical
control and skills.
Future Development, Application
and Opportunity
In these small trials it has been demonstrated that there are particular benefits
of introducing gaming therapy including: reductions in the number of outpatient visits patients need to attend in
person with physiotherapists; ensuring
that follow-up outpatient visits are more
worthwhile as results can be shared and
discussed; making rehab more enjoyable,
easier and fun for patients; improving
health outcomes; and, reducing the costs
of outpatient physiotherapy.
Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust has also trialed MIRA with
a group of adult patients with neurological pathologies. Mark McGlinchey,
Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist at
Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, believes: "MIRA is an innovative product that could alter the way
therapy is delivered to patients in the
future. It has the potential for patients
to be more active in their rehabilitation,
which should result in improved patient
and service outcomes."
Cosmin Mihaiu, CEO of MIRA Rehab
Ltd says: “We are very excited about how
positively patients and physiotherapists
are responding to MIRA. Based on feedback from the institutions using it, we are
improving MIRA and adding more exergames to incorporate more exercises”.
Gaming therapy is being developed to
help with common disorders such as
shoulder injuries and repairs, elderly
fall prevention, speech therapy, autism
motor control improvement, cognitive
rehabilitation, and many more.
The technology could also soon be
playing a key role in supporting the
rehabilitation of patients with artificial
Continued from page 41
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August 2015
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limbs and amputations.
Gaming therapy offers alternatives and
replacement treatments for some patients
and has been shown in limited studies to be
popular with patients and to support good
health outcomes. This is the next frontier
in health care being co-delivered by patient
and clinician in partnership and it is hoped
that in the near-future it will be introduced
more widely within mainstream physiotherapy and rehabilitation care pathways.
About the authors:
Phyllissa Shelton is a Health Innovation
Consultant and Mentor and Rebecca
Scott is a Senior Physiotherapist at
National Star College.
Anyone interested in learning more
about these case studies can contact
Cosmin Mihaiu directly at cosminmihaiu@
mirarehab.com. n
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