Gamification in Physical Therapy: More Than Using Games.

The implementation of computer games in physical therapy is motivated by characteristics such as attractiveness, motivation, and engagement, but these do not guarantee the intended therapeutic effect of the interventions. Yet, these characteristics are important variables in physical therapy interventions because they involve reward-related dopaminergic systems in the brain that are known to facilitate learning through long-term potentiation of neural connections. In this perspective we propose a way to apply game design approaches to therapy development by "designing" therapy sessions in such a way as to trigger physical and cognitive behavioral patterns required for treatment and neurological recovery.

Structured game-related group therapy for an adolescent with Acquired Brain Injury: a case report.

The use of Interactive Computer Play (ICP) in rehabilitation is developing rapidly and is especially promising in interdisciplinary pediatric rehabilitation. This case report examines how the Nintendo Wii® can be used in the rehabilitation of an adolescent with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). In particular it describes the use of the Nintendo Wii in a structured group therapy called the GameLaB.

Use of surface coils in magnetic resonance imaging of orbit and knee.

Surface coils are specially designed radio-frequency receiver coils used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of special anatomical regions, for instance, orbit and knee joint, with a higher spatial resolution than that obtained with conventional MRI techniques. They are designed to fit the anatomical part to be imaged, thus enabling a coil to be placed in close proximity to relevant structures. Surface coils can take these different shapes because they are only used for detecting the MR signal and thus do not need to meet particular design specifications for optimal radio-frequency homogeneity.

[MR of the knee joint. Imaging of the normal anatomy and pathological findings using surface coils].

A special surface coil was developed with the intention of producing optimal resolution and signal-to-noise ratio for the examination of the knee joint by MRI. Eight volunteers and 25 patients with various abnormalities of the knee have been examined. Normal anatomical structures can be differentiated and there is high diagnostic reliability for lesions of the meniscus, as confirmed by arthroscopy and surgery.

Technique of torsion measurement of the lower extremity using computed tomography.

Axial CT is the most accurate and convenient technique for the measurement of lower limb torsion; its accuracy is equal to that of cadaveric skeletal measurement. Both extremities are examined simultaneously, and the comparison of the right and the left leg provides the most important value. The torsion angulation is obtained directly by superimposing the magnified image of each scan on the other.