Do people with intellectual disability use Nintendo Wii when placed in their home as part of a physiotherapy program? An observational study

Abstract

Purpose: To examine how much, and in what way, Nintendo Wii™ (Wii) is used when prescribed as part of a home-physiotherapy program for people with intellectual disability. Methods: Twenty people with intellectual disability were recruited. The following parameters were recorded about play patterns over a 12-week period: frequency, duration, perceived exertion, play position, play mode, initiation of play and games from Wii Sports and Wii Fit Plus. Results: Participants used the Wii for a median of 101 min per week (interquartile range [IQR]: 50–172) in weeks one and two across a median of three days per week (IQR: 3–4), decreasing down to a median of 35 min per week (IQR: 0–141) in weeks 11 and 12 across a median of one day per week (IQR: 0–3). Conclusions: Usage of the Wii drops off rapidly when it is placed in the homes of people with intellectual disability as part of a physiotherapy program.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Usage of the Nintendo Wii drops off rapidly when it is placed in the homes of people with intellectual disability and they are instructed to use it as part of a home physiotherapy program.

• Games commonly played include bowling and boxing in Wii Sport, and penguin slide, ski jump and tight rope walk in Wii Fit Plus.

• Physiotherapists should use person and family centred practice to ensure that Nintendo Wii is a suitable intervention for the person with an intellectual disability and provide support to encourage ongoing usage.

• Intellectual disability
• Nintendo Wii
• physiotherapy

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the participants, their physiotherapists and their carers for their assistance.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Financial support was obtained from Ageing, Disability and Home Care, Department of Family and Community Services, NSW.