Pittsburgh Doctors Seeing More Wii-Related Injuries

The Nintendo Wii is one of the most popular video game systems around, and it's not just for children.

But while the Wii can be a way to help you stay active, it can also land you in the emergency room.

Some Pittsburgh-area doctors are seeing patients with what's being dubbed "Wii-itis," which is similar to tendinitis. Doctors are also worried about people who've not exercised much, picking up the controller and playing a game of tennis or boxing.

Dr. Fred Harchelraod, head of Allegheny General Hospital's emergency department, said his staff sees patients with injuries caused by a little too much time playing their Wii. "There might be a day we see two or three, and then a week goes by and we don't see any," said Harchelraod.

Harchelraod said games like Wii Fit, tennis and boxing can promote good health, but warns Wii users to start out slow, and don't overdo it.

"More and more of the injuries we see are the repetitive injuries from doing that motion," said Harchelraod. "You're just not used to (it). We do see people with hand and wrist injuries from using controllers so often."

And it's not just muscles and joints you need to worry about.

If Wii users spend hours in a darkened room playing shoot 'em up games, you can also cause other problems.

"It can cause headaches, eye strain from doing that repetitively," said Harchelraod.

To avoid injuries, Harchelraod suggests warming up before hitting start on the Wii fitness game and makes sure to take breaks to rest your eyes and wrists.