Multiple sclerosis, serious game to support telerehabilitation

“Multiple sclerosis is a chronic and degenerative disease that can affect the person in different areas, such as the cognitive, motor and emotional area, with very serious consequences, and negatively affect various aspects of everyday life. However, developments in medical research have led to the development of advanced and targeted therapeutic approaches, which recognize the fundamental role of rehabilitation in order to facilitate the maintenance of residual capacities and possibly improve them, aiming to preserve a good quality of life in patients. . One modality, that of tele-rehabilitation, associated with the use of ‘serious games’“. Like this Giampaolo Brichetto, physiatrist, researcher and medical director of the Aism Liguria Rehabilitation Service, in a speech published on the website of Allies for Health, the portal dedicated to medical-scientific information created by Novartis, underlines the importance of tele-rehabilitation associated with the evolution of electronic games.

“Rehabilitation – writes Brichetto – in general represents an effective weapon to combat multiple sclerosis in all its forms, even in the progressive ones for which the pharmacological treatments available are still limited. Telerehabilitation is a tool capable of ensuring a similar effectiveness of the procedures implemented in the presence, using digital tools. The treatment, in fact, can be performed at home or even in the workplace “.

Within the tele-rehabilitation process, therefore able to combine efficacy with convenience, “the use of serious games, or an evolution of electronic games – explains the expert – which are declined in ‘serious’ mode, such as indicates the name. These particular video games are designed to allow the learning of some specific skills, which may relate for example to work or daily life. Even if equipped with these purposes, serious games retain the main characteristics of normal video games, such as user motivation, increasing levels of difficulty and the rewarding system, with the gradual recognition of rewards that generate satisfaction and keep engagement high. “.

By exploiting these peculiarities, continues Brichetto, the serious game “has acquired the role of a real delivery method for the telerehabilitation process. The patient, in fact, is motivated by the dynamics of the game and the challenges to which he is subjected: the achievement of a level pass within the videogame usually corresponds to a level pass also in the acquisition of skills “.

Compared to traditional treatments, the telerehabilitation process through serious game “allows the patient to trigger greater motivation and attention. the possibility of providing this service in the home environment represents an important added value, allowing a high autonomy by the person with multiple sclerosis. Sometimes, if the rehabilitation plan provides for it, the participation of health personnel is not necessary and the procedure can be handled in comfort directly by the patient “, concludes the expert.

His speech is available on: https://www.alleatiperlasalute.it/salute-20/il-serious-game-supporto-della-teleriabilitazione-i-pazienti-con-sclerosi-multipla.

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