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Hoverboard accidents: Should you laugh or head to the ER?

Hoverboard accidents: Should you laugh or head to the ER?

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Yes, hoverboards look cool. They're sideways, motorized scooters, minus the handle and the need to propel yourself with the other foot.

It's no wonder they were among the hottest gifts this past holiday season. At a glance, they seem like a harmless way to get around faster or feel like you're gliding on air.

But then you take a closer look—or better yet, get on one—and soon find that gravity takes over that glide pretty quickly. An online search for hoverboard accidents will pull up home videos that show the many ways people can go from floating to falling flat.

They even made Mike Tyson say ouch.

These videos might be posted for entertainment, but some hoverboard accidents aren't always so funny.

Serious injuries and safety concerns

"Some of these injuries have been serious, including concussions, fractures, contusions/abrasions, and internal organ injuries," said US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Chairman Elliot F. Kaye, in a statement on December 16, 2015.

Mike Hart, MD, and emergency medicine physician at Lone Peak Hospital has seen the damage that these injuries can do. "Just recently, I treated a patient who fell face-first onto the concrete, resulting in multiple facial fractures," he recalls.

Reported US hoverboard injuries that led to ER visits over the holidays, according to CPSC Commissioner Marietta Robinson's blog, included:

  • 13 fractures
  • 6 strains or sprains
  • 4 contusions/abrasions
  • 2 lacerations
  • 3 ankle, wrist, or shoulder injuries
  • 1 head injury
Since late December, CPSC has been allowing the public to post accounts of their hoverboard injuries as it considers whether these devices are safe.

Some of the most serious injuries included a teenage boy who had a finger sliced open when it got stuck in the spinning wheel, and a 75-year-old riding his hoverboard with his walker that resulted in a head injury.

It's not just teens and older adults who are at risk. "Actually, all populations are at risk if they don't use any sort of protective gear while using a hoverboard," Dr. Hart says.

The worst-case scenarios, he says, can lead to a patient needing joint replacement or reconstructive surgery.

Crash and burn

Falling is not the only risk. Thanks to unsafe lithium batteries and overcharging, there were many incidents of hoverboards catching fire over the holidays, reports the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

That was enough to convince several major airlines, online retailers like Amazon, and big box stores like Target, to ban several hoverboard models.

In December 2015, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission launched an investigation into why some hoverboard models catch fire while charging or being used.

Stay safe—if you must

If you or your kids just can't resist the trend, the CPSC offers these 5 tips for staying safe on your hoverboard:

1. Only buy hoverboards that include the seller's contact information, in case something goes wrong.

2. Always wear a proper helmet, knee pads, and other safety gear while riding.

3. Keep the hoverboard away from other things that can catch fire, especially while charging.

4. Let your hoverboard cool for an hour before charging it up.

5. Don't let your hoverboard charge overnight. Only charge them when you're nearby.

And if that hoverboard accident does happen, text "ER" to 23000 to find the wait times at your nearest MountainStar Hospital ER. We will get you back on your feet in no time.

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