Dubbed “Wiitis”, the injuries aren’t the first time Nintendo consoles have been linked to medical problems: seasoned gamers will recall “Nintendo thumb” or Nintendinitis, a form of repetitive strain injury first noticed in heavy gamers a decade or two ago. But whereas the older machines only affected users’ hands and arms, the Wii’s innovative control systems mean gaming-related injuries are cropping up all over their bodies.

“Before these types of games were introduced, patients typically presented with ligament injuries of the hand from intensive use of [video game] hand-held controls,” said Karen A. Eley, a resident and doctoral candidate at a British hospital. “Now, the injuries seem to affect any region of the body.”

Falling off the Wii Balance Board seems to be one of the main causes of injury, according to Eley, and although the board is only a few inches from the ground, a mishap can still lead to anything from soft-tissue damage to broken bones. Head injuries can also result from playing Wii games in confined spaces, she said.

All the same, she says the Wii’s emphasis on active gaming probably encourages the otherwise sedentary to get up off the couch and get moving, “aiding in our fight against obesity, heart disease and diabetes,” she said.

You might want to warn your four-legged friends, too: the Wii is also the video game system most likely to hurt pets, according to a 2008 study. Truly, it’s a veritable menace.

Via HealthDay