Wounded Soldiers Find Videogames Good Therapy

Via Ars Technica, an article on the Washington Post site reports that the folks at Walter Reed hospital in DC are finding that videogames make excellent therapy sessions for soldiers wounded in the Iraq conflict. In addition to the obvious medical benefits of refining motor control via controllers, the entertainment allows soldiers to reconnect to experiences they may have had prior to their combat experiences. "Video games are all over Walter Reed. They're used for therapy or entertainment, or both. Alcibar doesn't have any hand injuries, but he's been trying to persuade some of his physical therapists to make Guitar Hero available to those who do. It would probably help some soldiers rebuild their hand strength and dexterity. And it's another excuse to play."

Comments

Re:Types of Games

[Tofystedeth]

I heard a story on NPR about therapists doing VR recreations of traumatic events in combat to help the soldiers cope with them that seemed to being showing promise. As far as actual commercial games that people play, I haven't a clue.