Sports injuries are extremely common from the student athlete, professional athlete and the weekend warriors, but injuries from video games? Not so much, right? Injuries from video games are now becoming something that we are seeing in the office more regularly. Now this is not what you are thinking, this is a more specific injury related to the Nintendo Wii. Do not get me wrong; this is an incredible toy and can be used for playing and also for workout routines and even physical therapy but proper precautions must be taken.
We have a Wii and the Wii fit in my home and we did set rules for playing in the house. I am sure that you have heard about the controllers going through the TV screens, so everyone must wear the wrist straps. Well just as we have rules to prevent this we also have rules to prevent injuries. When playing any of the sporting events that require movement there must be enough space and no objects in the way. With many of the games, such as tennis, requiring you to move around, it is possible to trip on an object, toy or furniture. We have treated patients for simple things such as sprains to an ankle fracture from a fall while playing Wii.
Wii fit is a great way to improve your fitness routine or begin a routine. It focuses on balance and strengthen exercises. We use it in our specialized lower extremity physical therapy office to work on proprioception. There are small nerve endings in the joints that are damaged when there is an injury and immobilization. This can lead to repetitive injuries to the area. Rebuilding these nerve endings will decrease the risk of re-injury. We also use the Wii fit to help post-operative patients regain there balance after surgery. After any surgery on the lower extremity the gait is altered. By improving the balance it allows patients to walk better after surgery.
Prior to starting any fitness routine it is necessary to consult with your primary care physician. Precautions that must be taken with fitness routines, Nintendo Wii, or otherwise, includes a gradual increase in activity level. One of the other injuries that we have seen is stress fractures. One patient had a tibial stress fracture from running on the Wii fit. The Wii requires you to be barefoot for some of the activities on the fit board. If you require orthotics for sports or walking, you may want to refrain from those activities.
The Nintendo Wii is a great device and can be a lot of fun. Proper precautions should be taken though while utilizing the device to prevent any injuries. It is a great way for families to play together but it should not replace all other physical activity. Regular exercise and getting outside for fresh air should be balanced with video games for a healthy life style.
