Kids on wheels could roll into hospital

'Heeling' popular among kids, but activity can be dangerous

By LINDSEY TANNER
Associated Press


CHICAGO — Trendy wheeled sneakers that let kids zip down sidewalks, across playgrounds and through mall crowds could also send them rolling into emergency rooms on a stretcher, say doctors who blame a rash of injuries on the international craze.

It's called "heeling," named after Heelys, the most popular brand. They're sold in 70 countries and are so hot that their Carrollton, Texas, maker, Heelys Inc., recently landed atop BusinessWeek's annual list of fastest growing companies.

But doctors worldwide have reported treating broken wrists, arms and ankles; dislocated elbows and even cracked skulls in children injured while wearing roller shoes.

Over a 10-week period last summer, 67 children were treated for injuries from Heelys or strap-on wheels called Street Gliders at Temple Street Children's University Hospital in Dublin, Ireland, according to a report in the June edition of Pediatrics.

From September 2005 through December 2006, one death and at least 64 roller-shoe injuries were reported to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

And doctors in Singapore reported last year that 37 children had been treated for injuries during a seven-month period in 2004.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, based in Rosemont, Ill., this week is issuing new safety advice that recommends helmets, wrist protectors and knee and elbow pads for kids who wear wheeled shoes.

Heelys and their knockoffs look like gym shoes, but with wheel sockets in each heel. The wheels pop out when users shift their weight to their heels.

In April, Heelys said a study it commissioned showed their shoes have a safer injury rate than skateboarding, inline skating and even swimming.

This was found at The Houston Chronicle.