One of the hottest gifts of the holiday season is proving to be one of the most dangerous, according to national news reports backed up by social media posts.
But while stories about hoverboard accidents and injuries have flooded the Internet, officials at local hospitals have reported only one emergency room visit linked to a hoverboard.
“Around Christmas time, we had what we called ‘patient zero,’ our first hoverboard accident here at Lake Forest, and we just knew we’d be seeing more of these because we’ve heard on social media and the news,” said Dr. Aaron Epstein, medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital’s emergency department.
“Patient zero” was testing out his Christmas gift when he fell and fractured his arm, Epstein said.
“I have a lot of friends in emergency medicine all over the world and all over the country, and I know hoverboards are very popular on streets (in regions with) warm climates. Here, we’re very prepared for hoverboard injuries because we’re dealing with ice and falls,” Epstein said.
Though the Lake Forest hospital has not seen additional accidents, Epstein said he expects to as the temperature increases in the spring.
Dr. Adam Bennett, a sports medicine physician with the NorthShore Orthopaedic Institute, said wrist and elbow injuries are most associated with hoverboard accidents. That’s because a rider often uses his or her arms to break a fall.
“Basically injuries from a hoverboard are similar to a fall on ice or roller skates — anything where your feet come out from under you,” Bennett said.
Bennett said he saw three people in his Wilmette neighborhood fall off hoverboards within one hour on Christmas Day and cautions people to practice before they take their new toy outside.
Bennett recommended starting inside on a carpeted surface for at least two days, having someone help the rider on and off the hoverboard to get comfortable. When the rider is ready to hit the streets, he or she should stick to smooth, flat surfaces.
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Both Bennett and Epstein also recommended wearing protective gear such as a helmet, wrist guards and knee pads.
“Safety first,” Epstein said. “Just like any activity be it skateboarding, rollerblading — helmet is key.”
There are also concerns that their batteries can catch on fire, an issue that prompted the University of Illinois to tell students not to bring hoverboards to school when they return from the holiday break.
Urbana-Champaign campus spokeswoman Robin Kaler said the two-wheeled scooters so far are banned in university housing and may eventually become contraband all over campus.
Illinois State University officials said they had no plans to restrict hoverboards.
Angelica LaVito is a News-Sun freelancer. The Associated Press contributed to this report.