Careful where you swing tha...*BOP*

When the Wii was first launched there was practically a media frenzy regarding the supposed flood of waggle-related mishaps. People reported cut hands, broken TV sets and black eyes, among other issues. Nintendo duly issued rubber jackets for the Wii Remote and took measures to strengthen the fabric wrist strap, and all was seemingly well with the world.

Until now, that is.

Recent reports suggest that the Wii has become the root cause of a new form of ailment: "Bystander Injury". The name leaves little to the imagination; we're talking Wii Remotes in the kisser, Balance Board falls and wild, flailing elbows. Apparently, the very young are most at risk, leading to calls from medical experts to properly supervise minors when playing on the Wii.

It's not all bad news, however. Traditional forms of interactive entertainment – that is, gaming with a joypad – are just as dangerous. According to the study, which ran from 2004 to 2009, seizures, eye pain and neck injuries were commonplace, caused by prolonged gaming sessions.

However, these statistics must be taken with a pinch of salt, as the actual chance of your injuring yourself whilst playing a video game is incredibly low, and much lower than other pastimes. So don't lose any sleep over it, y'hear?

[source eurogamer.net]