Avoid Injuries While Playing Wii

I punched my fiance in the head. And then five minutes later I punched my dog.

Before you run off and call the police on me, I have to explain. We were playing billiards on the Wii console. Of course we weren't sitting a safe distance apart. It was billiards! Who gets hurt playing pool on Wii? Apparently it's everyone around me. Its not that I'm an over-aggressive Wii player or someone who would take a video game too seriously. It was just that night proved that I should have looked at the injuries and health risks associated with the Wii before I ever sat down and started playing the game. But if you're anything like me and don't feel you have the patience to look through the guide, I'll give you a few tips on avoiding injuries to yourself or others while playing the Wii- all of these have been learned the hard way.

Avoid Injury By Standing Away From Each Other.
Easy enough, right? Makes perfect sense. Yet that seems to suck out all of the fun when you want to see what's happening with the game on the screen. Then you tend to scoot in too close and then -WHACK!- you got punched in the face while playing golf. To avoid a black eye, the two players should stand and lift your arms out to the side. If you can feel each other's finger tips then you are too close. If your living room or wherever you play the Wii doesn't offer that amount of room, the person who is not taking the turn should stand at least five feet behind the other person to avoid injury.

Avoid Injury By Watching Your Nunchuck Wires
While the Wii Nunchuck makes a few games a lot more fun and a lot easier, it's not fun to get whipped by a rogue wire. If you're standing far enough apart getting hit by one of the wires shouldn't happen, but I know it's hard when you're boxing or playing that crazy Star Wars lightsabre game. Sometimes you get to the point where you're swinging like crazy and then the next moment one of you has fallen to the floor with a nice mark where the wire hit. My advice- don't swing too hard and keep your distance. The Wii remote and nunchuck are sensitive enough to your movements that even a flick of the wrist will register. Remember, you're not swinging an actual lightsabre. It just looks like it on the screen. Oh yeah, and stand far enough a part. A good wire whip hurts just as much as a Wii remote punch.

Avoid Injury By Stretching A Little Before Playing
I've woke up many mornings after a long night of playing the Wii with sore shoulders, arms, and neck. The best way to avoid sore muscles is to stretch a little before you play. I'm not suggesting the 10-15 minutes required before a workout, but enough so you feel loose and ready for the movement some of the Wii console games require. This is especially important before you step on the Wii Fit. I usually stretch one arm across my chest and pull on it with the free hand. Then I switch arms and repeat. I've found that I don't wake up with tight muscles the next day if I do that simple stretch before I even turn on the Wii.

Avoid Injury By Wearing The Wrist Strap (And Don't Let Go Of The Remote)
It's a good thing that the Wii remote comes with a strap now. I can't count how many times that we would have had to buy a new television if there wasn't a strap there. Just because there is a strap doesn't mean you can let go of the remote though. I also can't count how many times the strap has also caused the free flying remote to come back and hit me in the face. The best thing to do is to just keep hold of the Wii remote. It's too hard to try to explain a self-inflicted broken nose or black eye.

Avoid Injury On The Wii Fit- If You Can't Do It, Move On!
Wii Fit brought yoga and strength exercises into many homes and I'm sure those came with a lot of injuries. As you get better at the exercises, Wii Fit seems to up the ante and push you to do something a little harder each time. This is great, but if you find yourself faltering don't risk it. Sure, the Wii Fit board is only a couple of inches off the ground but if you're in some yoga pose and you fall... Ouch. It's best not to push your body to do something it isn't ready to do yet. Take your time. Then one day you'll be able to master the Dance Pose without falling face first onto the floor.

Avoid Injury On The Wii Fit- Watch Your Step!
Another common sense mistake. The Wii Fit board doesn't seem that far off the ground and it seems big enough to maneuver on. But if you're doing the stepping aerobics, you should make sure you have a good sense of where the board is. I've caught my foot on the side many times that made me think that I've broken or at least twisted my ankle. It's not a good feeling. Keeping an eye on the board and your footing every so often is the best way to combat this.

The best advice: If it hurts- quit! If you hurt someone else- quit! Playing the Wii is fun, but it's not worth the doctor bill if it comes to that point. If you follow the tips above to avoid injury playing the Wii, you'll get more joy and game time out of the console. Otherwise, it would just sit there next to your television and collect dust because every one will be too scared to touch it. Just be safe, be aware of your surroundings, and have fun!