Pediatrician Dr. Gwenn weighs in on "Wii-itis."

Last spring, we were so excited to get our Wii, we couldn't stop playing. When we finally unplugged, everyone started rubbing muscles and grabbing ice packs. I figured we just over did it -- too much of a good thing -- until I read about "Acute Wiitis" in the New England Journal of Medicine. No doubt, we all had Wii-itis.

Last week, ABC News reported a similar phenomenon with Playstation. Apparently, this phenomenon is not just limited to the Wii. And it appears to be spreading.

The games may be virtual, but the pain and the problems are very real. Here's why:

1. These games cause us to overuse muscles for a much longer period of time than the real-life sport they mimic.
2. The virtual activity eliminates the real-life exhaustion so we have no way of really knowing when our body has hit that limit of needing to rest.
3. Many games cause us to focus so hard that we become out of touch with our body until the game pauses.

But don't throw out your video games just yet. Luckily, treatment is easy and prognosis is excellent for a full recovery, as long as you follow these four simple steps:

1. Unplug and give your muscles a rest.
2. RICE: rest, ice, compression and elevation for the area involved.
3. Take pain medication when needed. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatories such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) are the most popular over-the-counter ones. Check with your pediatrician for the right dosage for your child.
4. Once you start feeling better, set time limits when gaming.

Then go ahead and play hard...but not so hard that it hurts!

For more from Dr. Gwenn, click here.