Bryanna Forest and her sisters used to be at the ice rink six days a week.
“Hockey is my favourite sport,” she says. She was fearless on the ice, her family describes.
That is, until a brain bleed left the 10-year-old in hospital.
Since then Byranna has been undergoing rehabilitation at the Glenrose Hospital in Edmonton. When she first arrived, she couldn’t walk and had difficulty speaking.
Standing on her own, Bryanna swings her hockey stick towards a wall-mounted TV as the Xbox Kinect tracks her movement. She is playing Glenrose Hockey Nation, a locally invented hockey video game for pediatric rehabilitation patients, a first in Canada.
“When kids play video games, they really become immersed. They love playing and don’t realize they are exercising,” says Jessica da Costa, Bryanna’s physical therapist.
The game has been introduced to children in the pediatric day patients unit over the last several weeks. Patients come in with cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries or are recovering from a stroke or other conditions.
The game engages the young patients, a fresh departure from traditional physiotherapy such as range of motion exercises, says da Costa.
It helps them develop balance, coordination and cognitive skill. Sessions are one-hour long.
Research has shown that immersive game therapy increases patient participation, which translates into more minutes of exercise and better physical and cognitive outcomes.
“Most pediatric patients share a love of hockey and understand the game,” says da Costa.
Hockey Nation has two play modes – shooter and goalie. The modes can be adjusted for patients in wheelchairs, as well as for speed and difficulty levels.
Compared to the regular Xbox Kinect, the locally developed game has been customized to patients and physiotherapy goals, explains da Costa.
The prototype for Glenrose Hockey Nation was developed by the student Applied Research Project Team at NAIT and third party contractor 8-Bit 3D.
Donations totalling $50,000 from the TELUS Edmonton Community Board and Can-Am Geomatics helped progress the game from its prototype stage.
“This will benefit thousands of pediatric patients,” said Wendy Dugas, president and CEO of the Glenrose Foundation.
The Glenrose treats 6,000 children and youth with neuromotor, neuro-developmental and psychiatric disorders per year.
The hospital foundation plans to launch a second version of the game at the Building Trades of Alberta Courage Centre for adults.
