'Wii syndrome' blamed for injuries

CHESTER, England, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- British medical workers say Nintendo's motion-oriented Wii video game system is to blame for thousands of minor injuries.

The console, which allows players to mimic the movements of games and sports including golf, tennis and boxing with a hand-held motion sensor, has caused minor accidents and injuries that have been labeled "Nintendo Wii syndrome," The Daily Telegraph reported Tuesday.

Osteopaths have said middle aged parents roped into playing the games with their children are especially susceptible to neck, shoulder and elbow problems that can result from playing for extended periods of time.

"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," said Martin Davies, who runs five osteopathic clinics in Cheshire county.

However, he said the gaming console has also been found to have some medical benefits.

"But it is not all bad," Davies said, "One parent reported that his son had lost a stone in weight (14 pounds) since getting a Wii for his birthday."

Davies said injuries can be avoided by closely following the manufacturer's guidelines for use.