Physical Therapy Patients Having Fun, Healing Faster

Imagine a video game, like the Wii or the Xbox Kinect.

That's what virtual therapy looks like.

Admissions Director Mary Chambers said the rehabilitation system called the Omni VR is changing the face of physical therapy.

She said, "It's a different way of engaging your mind and your body to coordinate together. So it's bringing in technology at a different level that it doesn't feel like work."

She said that's the key point - it's a lot less like work and more like play. Patients are doing more repetitions and they don't even know it. She said, "It's really interesting because the patients aren't complaining about the things that they're doing, where if they're doing that in a traditional therapy setting, they're looking at them going 'oh, Katie, do I have to do another one?'"

This camera on top of the TV is what's monitoring a patient's progress, showing the therapist things like accuracy and quickness and helping patients with what they need to work on.

Chamber said, "It's recording data points and information that we can then use in a clinical setting for the therapy team to measure and make sure we are on track with our therapy."

Patient Char Nauman has been at it for a week. She said, "Oh, I'd rather play a game than have to do actual therapy!"

As she kicks her legs, she's working her sore hip. Although therapy can't always be pain-free, she said it's fun way to feel better. "I just think having fun makes it go faster and you will heal faster."

It's another medical advancement, getting hundreds of central Illinois people back on their feet.

Chambers said virtual therapy offers many different games like beach volleyball and bingo. She said each game played is based around a patient's needs and what ability they need to work on.