Jan. 01--It was the hottest gift of the holidays. But hospital officials across the Chicago area say hoverboard accidents are leading to visits to the emergency room for those who can't quite figure out the two-wheeled conveyance.
The Internet is full of videos of folks trying their hand at the hoverboards, which require a user to ever so gently move in different directions to make the motorized platform on wheels move.
But like a skateboard, not everyone gets it, and some folks are heading to the hospital as a result.
While he could not provide further details, a spokesman for Advocate Sherman Hospital said ER crews had dealt with at least one broken wrist sustained as a result of a hoverboard fall over the holidays.
Meanwhile, over at Rush Copley Medical Center in Aurora, spokeswoman Courtney Satlak said staff also saw a hoverboard-related wrist fracture and contusion injuries in the ER.
At Edward Hospital in Naperville, injury victims started turning up on Christmas Day, according to ER Medical Director Tom Scaletta.
"I took care of an adult that couldn't stop the device and fell to the floor, causing three broken bones -- two ribs and a wrist," Scaletta said. "My partner saw a teenager with a severe ankle sprain."
News of hoverboards, which must be plugged in and charged, catching on fire had already been reported before Christmas, making some parents a little wary of plunking down as much as $500 or $600 for a device that could potentially burn down the house.
James Gove, a neighbor of Scaletta's who lives in La Grange, was one of those wary parents, He was "against buying a hoverboard" for his 12-year-old son, he said.
"My wife purchased one against my will, but since my son got it we've had no issues," Gove said. "I've gone online and read some blogs, and certain manufacturers have better-rated products than others. Our unit was one of the more expensive ones at $300, but there are a number of models less than half that amount."
That's not to say there haven't been any mishaps. Gove's daughter gave it a try and wound up "nicking up her arm," he said.
"These things adjust to a person's weight, and it takes a bit for them to recalibrate when someone else first gets on the board," Gove said. "I'm still skeptical, as we're not the kind of people that normally buy every new toy when it comes out. Regarding the fire issue, I'd personally like to see it resolved."
Dr. Thomas Oh, an emergency physician at Edward, said the number of hoverboard injuries he's seen has been low so far, but he does have safety concerns about the devices in general.
"There has been an increase in the number of complaints about these things exploding or catching on fire and the problem seems to be the type of lithium-ion batteries they are using," Oh said.
In a Dec. 16 statement, U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission head Elliot Kaye said the agency was investigating the cause of the hoverboard fire hazard.
At the same time, Kaye said he did not want "to downplay the fall hazard."
"(The Commission) has received dozens of reports if injuries from hospital ERs that we have contracts with and they continue to feed us real-time data," Kaye said. "Some of these injuries have been serious, including concussions, fractures, contusions/abrasions, and internal organ injuries."
From the hospital's emergency room perspective, Oh said, consumers are advised to buy the devices "at their own risk" and there are concerns that hoverboards have "a high risk factor."
Scaletta agrees the boards are risky and compares them to trampolines and skateboards.
"I am certain that emergency physicians will see more injuries until users gain experience," he said. "I would put 'hoverboarding' in the higher risk category, along with trampolining and skateboarding. Hoverboards move pretty fast, like a sprinter, and can stop suddenly due to surface irregularities like uneven pavement. Riders should remain undistracted and ready to separate from the deck at all times."
Scaletta said he doesn't think the boards should be banned; people have the right to decide for themselves.
"I support adults making their own informed decision, and children require very close supervision," he said. "There are plenty of YouTube informational videos to learn techniques, and watching a few ahead of the first attempt is a smart idea. Our first patients literally opened the box and gave it a whirl.
"My last recommendation would be to practice in a large, open, empty, smooth surface where one can learn to start/stop/turn without running into a person or running out of practice space too soon."
Geoff Ziezulewicz is a reporter for the Elgin Courier-News.
David Sharos is freelance writer for the Naperville Sun.
geoffz@tribpub.com
