"Oww Wii"

By Will Albritton / The Fresno Bee
12/14/06 17:55:17

Kevin Wray says he's never seen a gaming system as interactive as the new Nintendo Wii. And as an avid gamer, he's seen them all.

But with a gaming console that requires its players to stand up and move around comes a price: muscle soreness. Exercise physiologist and Fresno State professor Felicia Greer says the Wii is good for video gamers who may not otherwise get any exercise, as long as they prepare their bodies for the movements they're about to make.

While that video focuses on one health risk associated with the Wii, Greer (who's quickly becoming our resident health expert,) says gaming systems like the Wii could have major benefits, such as combating the ever-increasing obesity problem with today's youth.

Why didn't anybody warn us adults? Oy.

The Great and Powerful Mom (and the Grandma Behind the Curtain) surprised the Young Man with a Wii for his birthday, and the Big Brother was even in on it with accessories and a game he's been wanting. I figured, "he's into video games, he'll never guess that he's getting one from the likes of us (given our fixed incomes and the fact that we're about as electronically literate as the cat--Big Brother excepted), and I can play games with him." It has long been known that TGAPM gets "barfy" watching the Young Man play video games--I figured if I'm moving while the games are moving, I wouldn't need those motion sickness pills anymore.

I was right. I don't need motion sickness pills anymore...but I can say with authority that there's a whole new market that Nintendo hasn't tapped into:

Wii First Aid

Complete with:

Book of Stretching Exercises

Ibuprofen

Heating Pad

Special Instructions for Kids:

"When Dad Throws his Back Out Bowling"

"It's Not Rigor Mortis, it's Just the Day After Mom's Boxing Match"

"'No, Mom, Your Neck Won't Stick Like That'--How to Reassure Parents the Day After"

"'It Hurts When I Wii': How to Tell Mom and Dad to Rest Already"

So far, all the jokes about "Wii-ing all afternoon" make up for the pain--a little.