Riding scooters or skateboards or strapping on in-line or roller skates offers kids a chance to get outside for some fresh air and exercise, but these activities are also associated with a high risk of broken bones, say researchers from Women's and Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, California.
Researchers at a hospital emergency department collected information about 2,371 broken bones (or fractures) that occurred in 2,282 kids and teens under age 17. While conducting the study, they noted what the child was doing at the time of injury and what body part was injured.
Almost all of the injuries occurred in boys, who were an average 13 years of age at the time of injury. Overall, almost 14% of all fractures in kids seen in the hospital's emergency department resulted from skateboarding, skating, or scooter injuries. Skateboarding accounted for the most fractures - 191 of the 325 total fractures in this category occurred while skateboarding. Broken bones from scooters were the next most common, accounting for 69 of the 325 fractures, whereas skating accounted for 65 broken bones. In all activities, about half of the time the kids broke their forearms. Skateboarding, in particular, was associated with more severe fractures, which researchers think might occur because skateboarders can reach high speeds without having a way to stop.
What This Means to You: In this study, about one in seven fractures in children were related to skateboarding, skating, or scooter riding. To protect your child from injury, make sure he or she wears a helmet and protective equipment, avoids playing in traffic, and avoids riding at night. Keep in mind that your child's peers or media influences may make it seem uncool to wear helmets and protective gear, but it's up to you to talk to your child about the risks of these sports - and how to prevent them.
Source: Charalampos Zalavras, MD; Georgia Nikolopoulou, MD; Daniel Essin, MD; Nahid Manjra, PAC; Lewis E. Zionts, MD; American Journal of Sports Medicine, April 2005
Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: April 2005
