A Dorky Diagnosis for a Real Problem

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Author: Matthew Keast
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Wiimotes flying into TVs. Wiimotes flying into hapless faces. And now, a whole new affliction with a whole new name: Wiiitis.

Not only can it happen, it already has...

Dr. Julio Bonis of WebMD has expressed concerns over the possible injury that could be incurred not from losing your grip on the Wiimote--those have been well-documented but by simply using it properly. Granted, he talks about playing Wii Tennis for hours on end, which the Wii nicely advises against (if you haven't played the Wii, it will prompt you to take a break every once in a while with a screen that comes up).

Yes, Wiiitis sounds ridiculous. Yes, you may wonder how someone could injure himself just swinging the Wiimote around. Some of the other blogs think so, too.

Destructoid said:

I'm still trying to figure out whatever happened to exercising a little bit of common sense and restraint. I can understand a child getting a bit carried away with Nintendo's joybox, but a medical student? How could such a benign-looking console cause so much pain? We haven't heard of this many people getting hurt from something they enjoy since the advent of Internet porn, hot candle wax, and duct tape.

Kotaku had this to say:

The mainstream media scare tactics continue, as CNN/Reuters report that Dr. Julio Bonis, family physician, has self-diagnosed himself with the affliction "Wiiitis." Cause? Playing Wii Sports while being a flabby, soft-armed milquetoast.

Okay, I understand that any word with three "i"s in a row is practically criminal against the English language. Yet in this day and age we gamers should be aware of the very real and serious afflictions known as Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSIs). Any console controller or mouse and keyboard can cause such injuries, but the Wii poses a whole new slew of problems. There's no reason the Wii can't cause Tennis Elbow, and it doesn't have to be from playing Wii Tennis. Most Wii games involve constant repetitive side-to-side wagging of the remote.

It's not about how much effort it takes or how big the motions are. In fact, it's the opposite. If you talk to an ergonomist, they'll tell you that smaller motions are much more prone to cause injuries. It has nothing to do with being a "wimp." You could be the toughest, buffest guy in the world and your ability to grasp and turn a simple doorknob will be permanently crippled because of seemingly effortless and tiny motions of the fingers and wrists.

Hey, thanks: Kotaku, Destructoid

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