Spurt in computer game playing over Christmas may trigger 'Wii knee' epidemic

London, December 21 (ANI): Doctors are warning people that playing too much of sports-based computer games over Christmas can lead to painful sprains and fractures.

They use the term "Wii knee" to describe such injuries as may result from mimicking the actions of sports, while playing computer games based on them.

Health experts agree that sports-based games have been praised for encouraging people to be more active, but they insist that their prolonged and incorrect use can lead to injuries.

While reports suggest that the Wii can be one of the most popular Christmas presents this year, doctors caution that spending too long on the games may increase the risk of strain.

Researchers at Leeds Teaching Hospital have found that osteopaths had reported an increase in back patients after Christmas last year, and blamed the trend on fathers trying to keep up with their children on the machines.

The British Society for Surgery of the Hand (BSSH) also said that there had been an increase in the number of injuries caused by excessive use of Wii.

Richard Milner, of the BSSH and a consultant plastic and hand surgeon, even predicted that the number of patients could increase over Christmas this year.

"We treated a patient this week who had injured herself using a Wii. She was playing tennis with a partner and fractured one of the bones in her finger when he hit the back of her hand with the control," the Telegraph quoted him as saying. (ANI)