Wii Athlete

Are you a gaming athlete? Share your victories with us.

By Annette Beach

The Wii game system is the greatest invention since Atari created Pong!

When I first heard of Wii, I read a story claiming a new game was popular among senior citizens in nursing homes, allowing people with limited mobility to be active once again. Since arthritis had taken away most of my physical abilities, I was excited about the possibility of interactive playing and competition.

Growing up as a healthy tomboy, I spent my days outside as a wanna-be athlete, participating in every backyard sport or neighborhood game imaginable. Until my diagnosis forced me to stop in my early 20s, I worked out, played team sports and water-skied regularly.

I’d say one of the biggest heartaches about having this disease was losing my physical strengths. To go from being active to unable was a tremendous loss. I once participated and now I’m a fan. Having to be on the sideline, watching, knowing I’ll never be able to partake again, feels like an on-going defeat. 

Until two years ago when I got a Wii …

Although it’s not entirely the same, it’ll do. Interacting and being able to ‘feel’ physical is a thrill for me! In the beginning, revealing my true competitive side surprised my son and was a personality trait I’d forgotten. As long as I stay clear from furniture, the only impact to my body is the air, which means on the days when I’m feeling good I can use [what I call] full motions and pretend to be athletic. Some of the games involve enough movement to actually work up a sweat, giving me a greater illusion of being an athlete.

Have you played the Wii game system? Does it give new meaning to your athletic abilities? Are you able to enjoy sports and activities that were taken away by arthritis or that you were never able to try because of an illness? 

I’m not familiar with the Wii Fit exercise programs. Has anyone tried them? Can people with arthritis or limited range of motion benefit?

Do you remember when Pong was introduced in the 1970s? It was a two-dimensional electronic ping-pong game that excited the world. The first home video system that was hooked up to a television set. My friends and I would play for hours, amazed by the technology. For those who’ve played Pong, did you ever position the paddles to repeatedly hit the ball back and forth in the same pattern then walk away?

While my son was growing up and playing video games, as technology advanced, I’d often tell him and his friends about Pong, the video game I played as a kid. They’d always roll their eyes and relate it to the stories about walking five miles to school, in the snow, up hill both ways.