Westfield State Sports Medicine Blog

What is Video-Modeling?           Video-modeling is an intervention that works great for autistic children. These children struggle to develop appropriate social skills for communication. So, improving social skills in children with autism is incredibly important to improve their overall independence and quality of life. There are various styles of video modeling such as point-of-view video modeling, video self modeling, which are further described by  Autism Classroom News and Resources , but basic video modeling will be the focus of discussion. Basic Video-modeling is done by first assessing the child on the social skill(s) they are lacking, then utilizing a short video-recording of a model performing the targeted skill. The autistic child then watches and is instructed to mimic what they saw.              So, if the social skill was greeting an unfamiliar adult, the implementer, whether it be a parent, teacher, occupational therapist or speech therapist, might show a video of

You’re not Alone!              It is estimated that one in three Americans will be diagnosed with cancer within their lifespan. Prior to the diagnosis of cancer, 70% of patients were inactive or did not exercise on a regular basis. It is not too late to start increasing your physical activity levels!              Benefits from Exercise              Exercising before, during and after the diagnosis of cancer can be life saving for individuals, along with improving their physical and mental health. 240 cancer diagnosed patients were put on a twenty week strength training exercise program, and there were significant improvements in areas such as:  Physical  changes due to exercise Mental  changes due to exercise ●        Muscle strength ●        Bone health ●        Balance ●        Fatigue due to cancer ●        Cardiovascular fitness ●        Decreased risk of forming secondary cancers     ●        Anxiety levels ●        Depression ●        Impro

By  Robert Kobierksi What is Virtual Reality Virtual reality or VR is a computer-generated simulation that one Is placed into in order to play a game or become a part of the computer environment. This technology can be used to turn games into exercise. The game includes a headset or large TV for visual, bur also includes had controllers and sometime foot boards or monitors to measure body movement. Using a VR headset is actually easy. Using the Oculus Quest for example all you need is the headset, controllers, wifi, and about 20 square feet of free space. Top VR headsets available today ·       HTC Vive ·       Sony Playstation VR ·       Oculus Rift ·       Oculus Quest ·       Samsung Gear VR This give you the ability to play video games and get exercise all at once. One example of these games is the game Astro jumper which the designers describe as “ an immersive virtual reality exercise game developed for use with a stereoscopic projection display and ful

It has been well-known and long established that exercise is a vital part of keeping yourself healthy and offers multiple benefits to physical health. However, how does exercise affect mental health has been a topic many overlook. Studies show that exercise is highly effective at reducing fatigue, increasing alertness and enhancing overall cognitive functioning, proving to be very helpful when stress has depleted your energy. Everyday stress and anxiety are normal parts of life, however  anxiety disorders directly interfere with the life of the individual. Affecting 40 million U.S. adults and 1 in 13 nationally, anxiety disorders are the  most common reported psychiatric illnesses. Due to its prevalence, the mental benefits exercise offers can extend far beyond stress relief.  The importance of exercise for the benefit of anxiety stems past the mental effects. Anxiety takes a toll on physical health as well, increasing an individual’s risk for depression and cardiovascular disea