IIf you’ve ever broken any bones in your body, you know how tedious and painful it can be to get your limbs or fingers back to their usual working functions. Now, thanks to Wii (pronounced “wee”), one of the hottest Nintendo video game systems, you can make your way back to recovery with a wireless remote and a smile!

This latest craze (according to an article reported by The Associated Press) has been coined “Wiihabilitation,” a new method of rehab therapy that utilizes the popular Wii video gaming system for patients recovering from strokes, broken bones, surgery, and even combat injuries.

“I love the idea of using video games to help with rehabilitation of all kinds,” Dr. Northrup says about this hot new trend that’s rocking the medical industry. “I believe we’ve just begun to scratch the surface potential of this exciting new field.”

Physical therapists have found that the Wii’s unique motion-sensor controller allows patients to use the same body movements needed for traditional therapy sessions. This is great news for those sick or injured who often have to endure painful, monotonous, and repetitive exercises to regain their strength and endurance.

Doctors have also found that patients are more motivated to exercise and are often unaware that they are performing tasks that will bring them closer to recovery. One rehab therapist at an Illinois hospital comments, “Patients become so engrossed mentally, they’re almost oblivious to the rigor.”

Dr. Northrup explains that the reason why gaming technology works so well in the service of health and healing is that our subconscious minds, which operate below the level of conscious awareness, can’t tell the difference between something that is “real” and something that is imagined. “As a result, our bodies’ physiologic responses—changes in heart rate, nerve conduction speed, cell growth rates, and so on—are profoundly affected by simulated events—the kinds of events and learning that you engage in with a video game or in your imagination.”

The most popular Wiihabilitation games that are now being employed in various rehab centers and hospitals in the U.S. are predominantly those that involve sports—golf, tennis, baseball, bowling, and the like. Some therapists report that these games are ideal for paraplegics because they encourage multiple arm swings and movements. These Wii sports games also help patients with balance, reaction time, and mobility problems to loosen muscles and gain finger coordination, particularly stroke victims who are relearning routine tasks such as how to brush their teeth or comb their hair.

Maybe now when patients joke that the acronym for Physical Therapy is Pain and Torture, the wave of Wiihabilitation will introduce new words like Pleasurable and Thrilling when therapy is recommended. With the joy of using this new level of video game play as a healing tool, therapists report that patients now look forward to their exercise regimens.

“The advantage of a video game is that it’s designed to hold your conscious attention easily while working its magic underneath the surface,” Dr. Northrup confirms.

But the good news doesn’t stop here. While gamers recognize that Wii is truly ahead of its time, the innovative video system continues to rock the medical world with its possibilities.

According to a report in New Scientist Magazine, the Wii systems are also being used as a tool to train surgeons. New software is now being developed that will accurately simulate surgical procedures and has already been tested on several trainee doctors with positive results.

The console’s “Wiimote” control system allows players to direct on-screen action using a wireless wand that detects acceleration in three dimensions. The training tool, called ProMIS, simulates a patient’s body in 3D and tracks the surgeon’s movement as they operate.

“I’ve long believed that technology of all kinds is actually an outward manifestation of human consciousness. The Internet and e-mail are concrete manifestations of how ideas and consciousness in one area of the planet instantly affects consciousness in another,” Dr. Northrup points out. “Shamans in traditional tribes have long known this. But technology and the Internet makes it possible for everyone to see and believe this!”

“Kids are born cable ready. Why not use this capacity for good!” Dr. Northrup adds. “And besides, it’s about time we as a human species came up with a life-giving, life-supporting way to use a technology that has, until now, been used largely to amuse adolescent boys of all ages with killing and war games. (Okay, I’m off my soapbox now.)”

As Wii technology and video games continue to infiltrate popular culture, the question left is: What’s next?