Wiiitus?
WHAT IS IT?
I just heard about Wiiitus for the first time today, January 10, 2009. I do quite a bit of promotion of the Wii console in video gaming, so I was interested to hear about this new type of injury called Wiiitus.
I wanted to write about this topic because, well to be honest, I just had to try using a word that has 3 letter i's in a row. How COOL! Wiiitus. I always kind of enjoyed the two i's in a row in the Wii name itself. And now there is a word with 3.
Wiiitus.
Sorry, I just had to type it again.
What is Wiiitus? Wiiitus is a new type of repetitive stress injury, resulting in inflammation. It is caused by over using & over extending, the muscles, tendons or joints while playing Wii too hard, for too long.
How can playing a video game possibly cause an injury like Wiiitus? Wiiitus happens because Wii is so engaging and so much fun and so seemingly easy to play sports & fitness games that would normally be beyond your physical limits. That's why Wii is so great; it enables you to be a boxer even though you only weigh 90 lbs and have little arm strength. Wiiitus occurs because players will keep on repeating the game for long hours that would normally (in the real sport) end when fatigue sets in. With Wii, the repetitive stress of swinging, punching or throwing with the Wii controller goes unnoticed because players are so focused on the screen play. Playing Wii does not tire a player quickly enough to cause them to stop the game BEFORE the injury happens, as happens in a real sport.
How can you prevent Wiiitus?
(1) Preparation for your Wii Session should be just like any other sport . Warm up first by lightly and slowly moving your arms, legs and torso through a series of movements, dance, aerobics, yoga. No stretching just loose movements. After you have mobilized your muscles and tendons, THEN you can gently stretch them. Do the stretches that target shoulders, arms, wrists, neck, chest & legs, hip & back muscles, paying particular attention to extentions.
(2) Obviously, you will have to Wiixercise some control over how long you play each game. Setting a timer is the answer since, as we gamers all know, keeping track of time is a lost cause while we are playing a video game, even Wii. When the timer goes off, finish the game you are on, Do NOT start another game. Instead take a short break. Then, when you have let your arms, shoulders, wrists and neck relax for a few minutes, you can return to your Wii. However, you should now play a different Wii Game or sport. Mix it up, just like you do at the gym or exercise class.
(3) Even though you are mixing it up, you will still need to limit how many hours you play Wii in total. Start off with short periods of game time, gradually increasing how much time you play for over a period of weeks. STOP playing altogether whenever you feel any pain or tightness in any muscle. Take a break, stretch and go back at it later or tomorrow. If any painful symptoms re-occur or do not clear up within a day or so, Go To Your Physiotherapist and get some help. These silly little injuries of the tendons and joints can go chronic (ENDLESS) if not healed up right away.
How Do I Treat Wiiitus Once I Already Have It? You won;t like this answer and that is why prevention is the best way to deal with this injury. Injuries that become inflamed are a nuisance to get rid of. You absolutely MUST STOP doing whatever caused the injury, since it was the multiple repetitions of those actions that caused the injury in the first place. You will be required to take a break, not play Wii or any other game or sport that uses the actions that got you in trouble. In the meantime, you will need to very gently mobilize & stretch the injury. Ice is helpful, especially, and often exclusively, when you rotate the ice pack with a hot pack. 5 minutes of each going back & forth for 1/2 an hour will do it. Repeat this treatment 3-5 times per day. Make sure you place a towel or soft cloth between the ice and your skin. Icing, if it is overdone, can cause further injury. Natural homeopathic/herbal and pharmaceutical anti- inflammatory medicines are also a big help. Traumeel is a homeopathic blend of healing herbs that comes in a cream or gel for applying externally, as well as liquid and tablets for internal use. It is available at natural whole food stores & herbal pharmacies or on-line. The truth is that these types of injuries can take a long time to heal, with many relapses along the way. Again, preventing this type of injury is easy , and hopefully, paying attention to how long and how hard you play any game will be a big advantage to not re-injuring yourself.
How can playing a video game possibly cause an injury like Wiiitus? Wiiitus happens because Wii is so engaging and so much fun and so seemingly easy to play sports & fitness games that would normally be beyond your physical limits. That's why Wii is so great; it enables you to be a boxer even though you only weigh 90 lbs and have little arm strength. Wiiitus occurs because players will keep on repeating the game for long hours that would normally (in the real sport) end when fatigue sets in. With Wii, the repetitive stress of swinging, punching or throwing with the Wii controller goes unnoticed because players are so focused on the screen play. Playing Wii does not tire a player quickly enough to cause them to stop the game BEFORE the injury happens, as happens in a real sport.
How can you prevent Wiiitus?
(1) Preparation for your Wii Session should be just like any other sport . Warm up first by lightly and slowly moving your arms, legs and torso through a series of movements, dance, aerobics, yoga. No stretching just loose movements. After you have mobilized your muscles and tendons, THEN you can gently stretch them. Do the stretches that target shoulders, arms, wrists, neck, chest & legs, hip & back muscles, paying particular attention to extentions.
(2) Obviously, you will have to Wiixercise some control over how long you play each game. Setting a timer is the answer since, as we gamers all know, keeping track of time is a lost cause while we are playing a video game, even Wii. When the timer goes off, finish the game you are on, Do NOT start another game. Instead take a short break. Then, when you have let your arms, shoulders, wrists and neck relax for a few minutes, you can return to your Wii. However, you should now play a different Wii Game or sport. Mix it up, just like you do at the gym or exercise class.
(3) Even though you are mixing it up, you will still need to limit how many hours you play Wii in total. Start off with short periods of game time, gradually increasing how much time you play for over a period of weeks. STOP playing altogether whenever you feel any pain or tightness in any muscle. Take a break, stretch and go back at it later or tomorrow. If any painful symptoms re-occur or do not clear up within a day or so, Go To Your Physiotherapist and get some help. These silly little injuries of the tendons and joints can go chronic (ENDLESS) if not healed up right away.
How Do I Treat Wiiitus Once I Already Have It? You won;t like this answer and that is why prevention is the best way to deal with this injury. Injuries that become inflamed are a nuisance to get rid of. You absolutely MUST STOP doing whatever caused the injury, since it was the multiple repetitions of those actions that caused the injury in the first place. You will be required to take a break, not play Wii or any other game or sport that uses the actions that got you in trouble. In the meantime, you will need to very gently mobilize & stretch the injury. Ice is helpful, especially, and often exclusively, when you rotate the ice pack with a hot pack. 5 minutes of each going back & forth for 1/2 an hour will do it. Repeat this treatment 3-5 times per day. Make sure you place a towel or soft cloth between the ice and your skin. Icing, if it is overdone, can cause further injury. Natural homeopathic/herbal and pharmaceutical anti- inflammatory medicines are also a big help. Traumeel is a homeopathic blend of healing herbs that comes in a cream or gel for applying externally, as well as liquid and tablets for internal use. It is available at natural whole food stores & herbal pharmacies or on-line. The truth is that these types of injuries can take a long time to heal, with many relapses along the way. Again, preventing this type of injury is easy , and hopefully, paying attention to how long and how hard you play any game will be a big advantage to not re-injuring yourself.
AS ALWAYS KIDS...
PLAY SAFE!
PLAY SAFE!