Many of the Minnesota Vikings will play the Wii game console as part of their rehabilitation from injuries. The Wii's success as a rehab tool has no better spokesman than MVP running back Adrian Peterson. Peterson, appearing on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon this week, touted the game's success in helping him recovering from surgery to repair two torn knee ligaments. Peterson famously recovered from surgery in speedy fashion, returning to game action less than a year out of surgery and shocked the NFL when he won the MVP award last season, running for 2,097 yards, the second-highest, single-season total in league history. Fallon, displaying a cover of the Madden football videogame series with Peterson on the cover, brought up the use of the Wii in helping Peterson. "I was able to do different ski games maybe like a month after the surgery to help kind of stabilize the knee and put that pressure on there and try to rebuild those muscles and get more power and strength to those muscles around the knee," Peterson told Fallon. "It helps out a lot." Peterson also mentioned he enjoyed playing golf on the Wii. Defensive end Jared Allen, who spent time in the training room last season to work on an injured shoulder, would often talk about epic Wii tennis matches with teammates.
Rehabbing from injuries is a necessary part of life in the NFL. The Vikings, and surely other teams, have found a fun way to do so.
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