"Wiihabilitation": Can active gaming systems be used to improve recovery after stroke?

Both the intervention (Balance Group) and active control (Upper Limb Group) will undertake sessions using the Nintendo Wii(TM) gaming system in addition to their standard inpatient therapy regime. Sessions for both groups will be 45 minutes in length, three times per week, for a minimum of two and a maximum of four weeks. The length of intervention will be determined by the length of stay and discharge date of the participant, established by the rehabilitation team. The Balance Group will perform a range of activities using the 'Wii Fit Plus' package, which involves standing on a force plate (the Wii Balance Board(TM)). The investigators have developed guidelines for activity selection which provides a hierarchy of difficulty and offers a range of activities to challenge balance. Activities will include stationary stance with a decreasing base of support (e.g. Yoga Deep Breathing and Standing Knee Pose), movement over a fixed base of support (e.g. Table Tilt and Penguin Slide), and movement with a changing base of support (e.g. Free Jogging and Free Step). The activity selection will also be based on participant preferences and functional ability. Sessions will be conducted on an individual basis and supervised by a trained physiotherapist. All participants will continue their standard inpatient therapy during the course of the study. This involves participation in allied health sessions (e.g. physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech pathology) on an individual basis or in a group setting. The amount of standard therapy is typically between two to four sessions per day, each up to one hour in length, five days per week. Standard therapy is established on a case by case basis by the rehabilitation team and will be independent of the researchers. A therapy log will be used to document the amount and type of standard treatment received.