Kids with spinal cord injuries learn to move through 'magic'RSS Feed

Children with spinal cord injuries and other physical disabilities are being encouraged to do beneficial exercises by an unlikely means – magic.

Dr Dido Green of Tel Aviv University's (TAU) School of Health Professionals has devised a clever way of motivating the youngsters to improve their motor skills with techniques based on the sleight-of-hand tricks often used by magicians.

She used items such as sponge balls, elastics and paper clips to teach children how to perform the fun yet challenging "magic tricks".

The expert now hopes to set up summer "magic camps" for children in the UK and Israel who have physical disabilities.

Commenting on her research into the technique, Dr Green said: "Not only did the kids get a kick out of the magic tricks, they loved doing the exercises every day."

TAU claims to be Israel's leading centre of higher learning, providing an education for 30,000 students.

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