Video games are not only addictive, they also have therapeutic virtues.
- Video game therapy consists of improving the state of health of patients through video games.
- Tailor-made games are developed to meet the needs of patients: rehabilitation after a stroke, pain reduction, stress management, etc.
What is now called “video game therapy”, consists of using video games for therapeutic purposes. Many indications are thus being researched and sometimes even already applied, whether for the treatment of pain or certain neurodegenerative diseases for example.
Why use video games for therapeutic purposes?
The video game allows not only to focus the patient’s attention by putting him in a state of maximum concentration, but also to make him interact with his body to perform different actions.
These characteristics are very useful assets to promote rehabilitation following a stroke, for example, but also to reduce chronic pain. The more immersive the device will be with a virtual reality headset, for example, the greater the efficiency would be.
What are the therapeutic examples already used?
Some video games, such as Voracy Fish, allow you to control a growing fish by devouring other fish for the purpose of functional rehabilitation after a stroke. The game Snow World, developed in the United States, allows players to eliminate penguins with snowballs, allowing burn victims to treat themselves with less anxiety and pain.
Other projects are being researched, particularly in the management of stress, pain, or to limit the development of certain neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease for example.
Source: Karamians R et al. Effectiveness of Virtual Reality- and Gaming-Based Interventions for Upper Extremity Rehabilitation Poststroke: A Meta-analysis. Arch Phys Med Rehabilitation. 2020 May;101(5):885-896.
