Michael Torchia's mission is to have Nintendo pull their Wii games off the shelves until they make important changes to their products.

People around the World are sustaining serious injuries due to the lack of proper warnings on their products and Torchia is taking a stance to ensure that people are aware of the potential dangers.

In addition, Torchia feels Nintendo is misrepresenting their Wii games as a replacement for sensible exercise and sports activities. He believes that Nintendo needs to issue a warning that these games are intended for entertainment and not to replace actual physical activity. Through slick advertising campaigns and product placements on popular television shows, children and adults are being brainwashed that Wii games are safe and effective ways to become physically fit.

"On the contrary, Nintendo is contributing to the epidemic of obesity. Young and old are putting away their gym clothes and shying away from going outdoors to play sports, because the addictive appeal to the Wii game products. Just as the tobacco companies created such a false image of their products and hid the potential dangers, so is Nintendo," says Torchia.

There is a new phenomenon that is occurring as a result of extensive and widespread usage of the Wii Fit and Wii Balance Board. As more people use the Wii as an exercise tool, they are sustaining injuries in their knees, back and wrists because of overuse and improper warm- up.

It seems that up to ten people a week are being hospitalized with injuries caused by playing Nintendo Wii games, prompting doctors in Britain to issue warnings of the dangers associated with the Wii video game system. "Most patients are admitted after playing tennis or running games which involve sudden movements, resulting in tendon stretching or tearing"says, Dr. Dev Mukerjee of Broomfield Hospital, Essex.

As a health and fitness expert with over 30 years experience, Torchia knows first hand the importance of physical activity based on an individual's needs and capabilities. He has created specialized programs for obese children, handicapped individuals, baby boomers and even pets. It is because of this extensive knowledge that he is able to gage why so many people are sustaining injuries using these products incorrectly. "Not only are people getting injured due to a lack of instruction, they are also developing improper stroke patterns from long term use of the sports games which can potentially effect their ability to excel in those specific activities later in life" says Torchia.

Michael Torchia, has retained a prominent law firm in Beverly Hills, California to prepare a class action suit against Nintendo.

In addition, Torchia is spreading the word across the country through his radio talk show, Shape Up America and PodCasts via his website: OperationFitness.com for people to report any injuries which have been incurred while using the Wii games. Torchia is dedicated to fighting the epidemic of obesity and ill health, which are both reversible.

http://newsblaze.com/story/20090209062004zzzz.nb/topstory.html

OMG people seriously I don’t know if this is anger or denial stage

FFS. The Wii has lots of warnings about health and safety, they come up as you start the games.

The Wii merely gets us to move about, play, swing our arms. Banning the Wii is essentially trying to protect us from ourselves, whereas in the Western world we tend to believe in something called 'liberty'. If we want to protect ourselves from the dangers of swinging a Wii-mote, we can choose to not play. Thanks but no thanks, Mr Torchia.

Nintendo hasn't claimed anything of the sort about Wii Sports being a substitute for excercise.... and there are warnings all over the place about keeping the space around you clear and making sure to use the straps (and now the latex sleeve thing) even on games that don't have motion controls, or only have very limited motions.

Also I haven't got it myself, but I believe Wii Fits excercise regimes ask you to do outdoor activities each day/week among other things like eating properly.

This guy is no better than that stupid tit who terrorises Rockstar for making games that still don't have as much violence or adult themes as many films or even television soaps.

It should be common sense that you need to warm-up/not overdo this kind of thing, you just can't write that in a law book.

Also, I don't think ppl are choosing this to replace their regime, but attracting ppl who never do anything active to use it.

But the main thing is that if ppl ARE getting injuries, then they MUST be getting some form of workout. Don't claim Nintendo to be assisting in obesity when you still get a workout.

Of course, if you want to fight obesity than it is the best to go against the videogamesystem which makes young girls walk again and made me loose over 35 kg. (And totally ignoring the other videogamesystems ...)

WiiFit might have some flaws, but it works, if you use it correctly.

"It seems that up to ten people a week are being hospitalized with injuries caused by playing Nintendo Wii games"

That's hilarious - using this as an argument to make people go outside and play sports - He should tally up how many people are hospitalized every week due to sports injuries.

They allow guns in America yet they want to ban the Wiimote .... please

People really need glasses cause obviously they can't see the DAMM warning disclamers at the begnning of every wii game. this guy fails as an advocate and a human being.

Am I the only one who can't remember Nintendo saying Wii Fit was supposed to replace exercise?