Project Type
independent
Project Start Date
10/01/2007
Project End Date
09/30/2011

This project is a pilot study investigating the potential benefits of two customized gaming systems (Wii Sports for the Nintendo Wii and Kinects Sports for the Xbox 360) as an adjunctive rehabilitation intervention in burn care. The study explores the mechanism by which gaming technology participation may benefit the patient rehabilitation experience. Physical rehabilitation sessions are frequently painful and distressing in nature. It is well known that distraction from painful stimuli during procedures has an analgesic effect. There is also evidence to suggest that pain recalled from surgical procedures can be influenced by procedural manipulations (e.g., Redelmeier, Katsz, &Kahneman, 2003) and that the quality of emotional experiences can affect the recall of pain (Miron-Shatz, Stone, &Kahneman, 2010). It is possible that gaming technology participation will exert a salubrious effect on burn survivors via pain distraction. In accord, the present study investigates the potential benefits of gaming technology use on psychological distress, pain severity, mood and pain memory during and after physical rehabilitation sessions. The study also examines physical outcome variables (i.e., heart rate and range of motion). Future findings will inform recommendations for the use of gaming technologies during physical therapy sessions in burn survivors.