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Are roller shoes a hazard to kids' health?

Heelys
Children in this Edgewater, MD neighborhood roll up a driveway
using their Heely sneakers. Heelys are the sneaker-skate hybrids
that allow children to roll along on their heels instead of walking.
Credit: AP Photo/The Capital, Alison Harbaugh
L
ast summer Noah Woelfel, of Davidsonville, Maryland, took his wheeled sneakers out for a spin in his family's driveway. But when a piece of gravel became lodged in the wheel of one of his shoes, the nine-year-old lost his balance and fell. He broke several fingers and wrist bones in his right hand.

"He required surgery and pins [in his bones]," says his mother, Nancy, "and he was six weeks without using his hand, right at the beginning of school."

Noah was wearing Heelys. The trendy shoes look like sneakers, but they have wheel sockets in each heel. Heelys can be used for walking, but the wheels pop out when users shift their weight to their heels. This sends kids cruising down sidewalks, school campuses, and skate parks. Heelys are sold in 70 countries. Since their arrival in 2000, about 4.5 million pairs have been sold. And, according to one new study, the shoes are also sending hundreds of kids to the hospital.

Heelys
Critical Thinking Questions
  • Do you think kids should continue to wear Heelys? Why or why not?

  • What are some other ways you and your friends can stay safe this summer?
    		•
    In 2006, accidents from Heelys and other roller-shoe brands contributed to about 1,600 emergency room visits. According to a safety group called the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, most of those injuries involved children like Noah.

    Doctors across the world have reported treating broken wrists, arms, and ankles. Some have seen dislocated elbows and even cracked skulls in children injured while wearing the roller shoes. One hospital in Dublin, Ireland, reports treating 67 injuries from roller shoes in a single 10-week period.

    Dr. James Beaty is the president of an organization which recently released safety guidelines for wearing Heelys. "As these shoes are sold in department stores, parents buying them may develop a false sense of security that they are like any other shoe," he says. "Roller shoes are very similar to being on Rollerblades or in-line skates, and protective gear should be worn at all times."

    Kids who wear roller shoes should wear a helmet, wrist protectors, and knee and elbow pads. Beaty says 'heelers' should also learn how to stop properly and heel only on smooth surfaces, away from traffic.

    The manufacturers of Heelys insist the shoes are safer than other wheeled sports, such as skateboarding and in-line skating. "Heelys wheeled footwear is a relatively new and unique sport," says Heelys CEO Mike Staffaroni. "Just like any sport, knowing the proper way to use Heelys is the key to fun and safety."



    Wearing protective gear with Heelys is just one way to stay safe this summer. What are some other ways? Take our Summer Safety Quiz to find out!


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