Innovative use of video gaming in physical therapy education
Purpose: Video gaming is used in physical therapy practice to treat individuals with a variety of diagnoses across the lifespan. The literature supports improvements in balance, cardiovascular endurance, and motor control; however, evidence is lacking regarding implementation of gaming consoles in physical therapy curricula. An intervention to explore video gaming systems as a mode of therapeutic exercise and balance retraining for patients with neurological and medically complex diagnoses was created. The purpose of this study was to assess doctoral physical therapy student confidence levels post intervention.Methods/Description: A pretest-posttest study was conducted among a single cohort of doctoral physical therapy students. Participants completed a 31-question survey rating confidence with seven domains: general use (5 questions), game selection (6 questions), plan of care (5 questions), set-up (3 questions), documentation (3 questions), setting (5 questions) and demographics (3 questions). The use of video game consoles (Wii, Wii-Switch, Kinect) were embedded into problem-based learning tutorial patient cases with varying diagnoses and mobility skills for students to self-explore. In addition, two interactive laboratory experiences allowed students worked in small groups to apply these systems to additional cases across consecutive semesters. The survey was completed at baseline and following the intervention at month eight. Descriptive statistics and a Wilcoxon signed rank test compared the differences in confidence.Results/Outcomes: Sixty-one students were recruited to participate, 56 of which were included in the analysis. Confidence scores changed from pretest (median 57- IQR 43-63) to posttest (median 78, IQR 72-84). Students’ confidence levels with using video gaming as a treatment plan for individuals with neurological and medically complex diagnoses increased significantly compared to baseline testing Z= 6.3 (p<0.01), selection Z=6.0 (p<0.01), plan of care Z=6.0 (p<0.01), set-up Z=5.5 (p<0.01), documentation Z=5.6 (p<0.01), setting Z=6.3 (p<0.01) and total score Z=6.5 (p<0.01).Conclusions/Relevance to the conference theme: Our Leadership Landscape: Perspectives from the Ground Level to 30,000 Feet: Structured experiences with video gaming, as part of a plan of care for patients with neurologic and medically complex diagnoses in the curriculum, had a positive effect on student confidence levels. As technology continues to advance in healthcare delivery, it is important to expose students to these same technologies in the classroom.References: 1. Bonnechere, B., Jansen, B., Omelina, L., Sholukha, V., & Van Sint Jan, S. (2016). Validation of the Balance Board for Clinical Evaluation of Balance During Serious Gaming Rehabilitation Exercises. Telemed J E Health. doi:10.1089/tmj.2015.0230 2. DeMatteo, C., Greenspoon, D., Levac, D., Harper, J. A., & Rubinoff, M. (2014). Evaluating the Nintendo Wii for assessing return to activity readiness in youth with mild traumatic brain injury. Phys Occup Ther Pediatr, 34(3), 229–244. https://doi.org/10.3109/01942638.2014.885103 3. Dos Santos, L. R., Carregosa, A. A., Masruha, M. R., Dos Santos, P. A., Da Silveira Coelho, M. L., Ferraz, D. D., & Da Silva Ribeiro, N. M. (2015). The Use of Nintendo Wii in the Rehabilitation of Poststroke Patients: A Systematic Review. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis, 24(10), 2298-2305. doi:10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2015.06.010 4. Goble, D. J., Cone, B. L., & Fling, B. W. (2014). Using the Wii Fit as a tool for balance assessment and neurorehabilitation: the first half decade of "Wii-search". J Neuroeng Rehabil, 11, 12. doi:10.1186/1743-0003-11-12 5. Levac, D., Espy, D., Fox, E., Pradhan, S., & Deutsch, J. E. (2015). "Kinect-ing" with clinicians: a knowledge translation resource to support decision making about video game use in rehabilitation. Phys Ther, 95(3), 426-440. doi:10.2522/ptj.20130618 6. Morone, G., Tramontano, M., Iosa, M., Shofany, J., Iemma, A., Musicco, M., ... & Caltagirone, C. (2014). The efficacy of balance training with video game-based therapy in subacute stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial. BioMed Res. Int., 2014.