Wii blamed for causing injuries

By Ellie Gibson Published 23 January, 2008

By newspaper and one man in Cheshire.

Having finished giving Bully a kicking, British newspaper The Telegraph has turned its attentions to the Nintendo Wii.

The paper is reporting a "spate" of injuries "dubbed 'Nintendo Wii syndrome'". There's no indication of who dubbed it that, or who's been counting up the "thousands of minor accidents and injuries" caused by playing Wii Sports.

However, the Telegraph did find a man in Cheshire who runs five osteopathic clinics. The man, Martin Davies, said he has noticed "a sharp rise in Wii-associated injuries" post-Christmas.

" We noticed we were getting a number of middle-aged parents coming in having played for far too long on the Nintendo Wii that they had bought their children," Davies reported.

"The older patients in particular are finding their neck, shoulders and elbows are painful and some said they had been playing Wii for up to 10 hours." Of course, playing real tennis for 10 hours never results in pain or injury.

Davies is advising patients to limit their playing time and perform warm-up exercises before each session.

"But it is not all bad," he said brightly. "One parent reported that his son had lost a stone in weight since getting a Wii for his birthday." Perhaps because they had to buy it on eBay and cannot now afford food.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (23) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • optimusprym8 #1 4 years ago

    wohoh it's 2006 all over again, let's hope the summer's as good eh?

  • gingerlink #2 4 years ago

    it's called exercise, these people may not be used to it, but getting pains like that is NOT unusual...

    geez, some people, you'd think it would be the hardercore gamers which have a worse idea of what exercise is, would seem not...

  • asphaltcowboy #3 4 years ago

    Admittedly, I put my shoulder out once getting a bit over-excited in Wii Baseball, but seriously... 10 hours? Without warmup/down? That's complete stupidity. Basically it's an article to get an osteopath's name in the paper.

  • mattigan #4 4 years ago

    It is probably due to the fact that using the Wii is the first excercise that these people have done in the last 10 years!! And they've over done it, I'm fairly fit myself ,but after having a go on Wii boxing for 40 minutes round a mates house last year, my upper back was slaughtered the next day!

    Like all excercise, if you're not used to it, take it easy until you are.

  • systems #5 4 years ago

    Another day, another story about idiots. And they are allowed to vote just like the rest of us. Sigh.

  • McGooch #6 4 years ago

    Wiinjuries. :)

  • Darren #7 4 years ago

    I've had my Wii for over a year and I've yet to sustain any injury from playing games on it bar aching arms as a result of playing some of the mini-games but I'd put that down to a lack of fitness on my part! I don't suffer so bad now so I guess using the Wii does improve fitness over time in those of us that aren't particularly athletic or exercise-minded, e.g. me!!!

  • NoQuarter #8 4 years ago

    Quack! Quack, Quack, Quack!

  • Grogmonkey #9 4 years ago

    ""But it is not all bad," he said brightly. "One parent reported that his son had lost a stone in weight since getting a Wii for his birthday." Perhaps because they had to buy it on eBay and cannot now afford food."

    Ellie is the wind beneath my wings.

  • Kazzahdrane #10 4 years ago

    Ellie you make my day with your sarcastic comments. Carry on!

    Idiots will be suing God (or other deity of their choice) for giving them arms and legs which cause them pain when strained next.

  • Eraysor #11 4 years ago

    I lol'ed at the last line. That was awesome.

  • The_Inquisitor #12 4 years ago

    For some of these kids, it's the first bit of exercise they've had to do in a long time. No wonder their fat, pudgy bodies are finding it a strain. But as they say, 'No pain, No game...ing'.

  • Gouki #13 4 years ago

    these people could injure themselves on a toilet roll. Have you been injured by the Wii? Here at Wii claims direct we will have a go a getting money no matter how obscure your claim is. But will I have to sign a credit agreement? No and you wont lose a penny fromt he money your rewarded. Nice Tie (yes your not hooked up to the polygraph, ass clown). Man i watch too much day time TV :-(

    If claims start flooding in also, will they be sorted in the wii claims court? (see wot ive done rather than small claims). Ohhhhhh sob now im resorting to Countdown or anchor man style humour.
    Edited by 1 at 23/01/08 @ 09:47

  • chrisjm #14 4 years ago

    'are you a lard-ass, have you sprained your wrist from exercising beyond the usual opening fridge workout since getting a wii? call Dr Mayreo for no wiin no fii today'

  • rudedudejude #15 4 years ago

    haha lamers.

    /nurses GH3 cramp

  • Lemming81 #16 4 years ago

    @The_Inquisitor:

    "But as they say, 'No pain, No game...ing'."

    That would be funny if you realised it is actually 'no pain no gain' not game.

  • JayPee #17 4 years ago

    they mean Wiinjuries surely?

  • hrodelbert #18 4 years ago

    @The_Inquisitor:

    "But as they say, 'No pain, No game...ing'."

    That would be funny if you realised it is actually 'no pain no gain' not game.

    I think it's what's called a pun O_o

  • bad09 #19 4 years ago

    Is it any wonder if some are playing it for 10 hours??????? I don't play my 360 for that long and you just have to sit there!

  • AusFreelancer #20 4 years ago

    bad09 - "Is it any wonder if some are playing it for 10 hours??????? I don't play my 360 for that long and you just have to sit there!"

    That's because the 360 won't last 10hrs....and for the balance....The PS3 doesn't have 10hrs worth of good games.
    *WINK, WINK*

  • sopje #21 4 years ago

    www.wiihaveaproblem.c om
    Edited by 3 at 23/01/08 @ 15:11

  • PEANUTXXI #22 4 years ago

    Wiipetitive Strain Injury? Use to be called wankers whiplash. Just gives the chronic shufflers an excuse.

  • bad09 #23 4 years ago

    @ AusFreelancer

    LOL! Very good mate!

  • sneetch #24 4 years ago

    I'm not sure about the title, "Wii blamed for causing injuries"?

    Shouldn't it be "Wii blamed for causing injuries; stupid, unfit people really at fault."
    With a related article, "Newspaper has slow news day."

    And while we're on the subject, "Popular gaming site recycles non-news." ;)