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I have pleasure in my job to specialise in sports / Musculoskeletal and as a result see some very interesting cases.

This morning was the first case I had ever come across. A young chap was referred to myself from Orthopaedics with a diagnose of Osgood Schlatters. On review this was most certainly the case. When I questioned the chap about what activities he was involved in, his reply was lots of football, rugby and pilates. I thought to myself what a young active fellow. I asked him whether he had seen the physio and was he given any rehab... He said yes, he was doing his stretches. I asked him to show me what he had been given..but he said he was unable to show me because I had no "Wii Fit" console in clinic!! It turned out that his Pilates, and other sports activities was also on the wii fit!!

What happened to just going out on the field to play with your mates???

More alarmingly I asked this kid to start doing some Calf Stretches (He had a very large growth spurt recently, bouncy gait with very very tight TA's) and do you know what his reply was......... CAN I DO THEM ON MY Wii FIT!! :santa2:

 

This does point to something I have raised a number of times here at the University and a few times at Association level... the generations have changed. ....have we as a University and as an Association adpated to that change? Have we changed the way we teach and interact with the 'current' generation or are we still using methods and interactions that were more approrpiate to a 'previous' generation???

...same issues at Association level...

...maybe we need to make sure we doing in our clinical practice as well. Can we include calf strecthing into a Wii program????

 

It's a good point

I've actually got quite a large number of patients (particularly females in the 25 - 45 age bracket) who do their entire daily exercise and fitness/weightloss regime on Wii Fit, Wii Fit Plus, EA Active etc simply because it is varied, gets heart rate up, incorporates stretches and aerobic, monitors BMI and proposed calorie usage AND it can be done at home late at night or early in morning when it is too dark/cold/dangerous to go outside and no need for babysitters. Some of them are getting good results and their children are getting involved too.

I'd rather get outside myself but to be really honest - I too am in that age bracket with a 3 yo and working full time and I do utilise my Wii programs for exercise when I simply haven't made it out for a walk during daylight.

I think there is quite the possiblity of using these things more often for rehabilitation and getting people into activity (I think most people would want to move on after a while)

Mind you - I'm not entirely clear on the biomechanics and potential muscle injuries of running fast on the spot for 20-30 minutes - not quite the same action as going for a run. Research paper anyone?

Cheers
RStone