Children may love "heelys" -- those trendy sneakers with the wheels inside that let kids zip around -- but doctors warn the shoes are leading to a host of injuries that are sending kids to the emergency room.
Roller shoes are a popular type of sneaker with a convertible or removable wheel in the heel. The innovative shoes allow "heelers" to go from a walk to a roll by simply shifting their body weight. The most popular brand, Heelys, was first launched in 2000 in the United States, and are now sold in 70 countries.
Street Gliders are a similar version in which wheels are strapped to regular running shoes. The devices also allow users to combine walking with rolling by simply shifting body weight.
According to a study published in the journal Pediatrics, the orthopedic department of one hospital in Dublin, Ireland, saw 67 children admitted over 10 weeks last summer for injuries suffered while using "roller shoes."
Interestingly, most of those injured -- 56 of them -- were girls.
The most common location of injuries were in the arms, wrists and shoulders and included fractures and dislocations. None of the injured children had been using protective gear when injured.
More than half of the injuries occurred the first time the child used his or her roller shoes or while learning to use them. The children were aged anywhere from 6.2 to 14.9 years, with a mean age of 9.6 years.
Despite their injuries, 54 per cent of the children said they would continue "heeling" or "street gliding" after they recovered.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says several injuries have been reported in the United States as well, including at least one death related to the shoes.
The Canadian Safety Council issued a consumer alert in January 2006 advising children and parents of children using Heelys to wear protective gear and to avoid heeling on roads, sidewalks, and wet surfaces. They recommended a ban on heeling in public buildings and malls, as well as school hallways and playgrounds.
The safety council estimates that a month with daily practice is required to master the "heeling" technique, to learn to control and balance of the body's centre of gravity.
The study authors recommend close supervision during the learning curve and use of protective gear at all times.
"Wrist guards should always be worn to reduce impact forces and distribution when a child falls on the outstretched hand, because upper-limb trauma constitutes 86.5% of our cases," the authors note.
Last April, Heelys said a study it commissioned shows that their shoes have a safer injury rate than skateboarding, inline skating and even swimming. The company notes that the shoes are sold with safety information including a recommendation to wear protective gear.
Source : www.ctv.ca
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