Photo Credit: Anchiy
The following is a summary of “Video Game Therapy in a Neurosciences Critical Care Unit: A Pilot Study,” published in the January 2025 issue of Critical Care by Ziegler et al.
Interactive video games have been shown to be a safe adjunct therapy for rehabilitation in the medical intensive care setting, though patients with neurologic diseases were often excluded from the protocols.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the feasibility and safety of individualized, interactive video game therapy in patients with critical neurologic conditions.
They included adults admitted to the neurosciences critical care unit during the observation period. Wii sports games targeting common neurologic deficits were categorized by the interprofessional team. Data collected included the number of sessions attempted, setup time, indications for use, patient/staff experience, and predefined safety events.
The results showed that 12 sessions were completed with 9 patients, with a mean (SD) age of 48.6 (18.1) years. Nursing and therapy teams led the sessions. Video game therapy targeted various recovery domains: coordination (70%), balance (50%), endurance (30%), cognition (30%), fine motor control (30%), neglect (20%), activity engagement (10%), and vision (30%). The average setup time was 4.7 minutes, and patients spent an average of 18.8 minutes playing. No safety issues were reported. All patients expressed enjoyment in participating in video game therapy.
Investigators concluded the prescriptive interactive video game therapy was feasible and safe in early rehabilitation for patients with neurological critical illness, suggesting its potential as a valuable adjunct to existing rehabilitation.
