COMPUTER consoles can help improve the lives of people with Parkinson's disease, researchers have found.
Scientists said games with movement sensors - used in consoles like the Nintendo Wii and accessories such as the Xbox Kinect - were found to aid symptoms of those with the degenerative brain condition, which affects more than 120,000 people in the UK. Sufferers include comedian Billy Connolly and former boxing great Muhammad Ali.
A study with Parkinson's sufferers at Lancaster University found that video games involving the movement of players acted as a form of physical therapy.
Researcher Dr Emmanuel Tsekleves said: "Muscles and joints tend to become stiff and rigid, which is why exercise is crucial in managing some of the symptoms.
"Physiotherapy exercises are very repetitive and lead to boredom and giving up. Computer games have the potential to motivate people to keep active."
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