Heelys?
Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Archive May 2007:
Heelys?
My ds and dd both have birthdays next month. They will be 8&7 on the 14th and 15th respectively. They both want heelys. I've heard a little about a newer, "generic" version some say is better because of the wheels. Does anyone have these? I know if something is too good to be true it usually is, but if these air shoes are good it'll save me some $$$$$, especially with buying 2!
I've seen those sneakers with the wheels and, frankly, I don't think they're safe. I know your children want them, but I suggest to you that 8 and 7 is entirely too young to have the physical coordination needed to use them safely, and the judgment required to know when they are using them safely and when they are not. I know that's not what you asked, but I did want to raise the safety issue.
Here's an article on the safety of Heely's. My kids love them.
New Study Confirms HEELYS(R) Safety
Tuesday April 10, 1:09 pm ET
Heelys Wheeled Footwear Remain Significantly Safer Than Nearly All Other Popular Sports
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Heelys, Inc., maker of Heelys wheeled footwear, announced the results of its most recent study using Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) data. The study confirms an earlier study and finds that using Heelys wheeled footwear is significantly safer than bicycling, skateboarding, basketball, soccer and even tennis.
The latest study was conducted by Heiden Associates, a product safety consulting firm based in Washington D.C. that was founded in 1981 by Dr. Edward J. Heiden.
Heiden Associates analyzed more than 2.056 million CPSC incident reports through CPSC's National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) on product-related injuries from January 2001 through September 2006.
"We're pleased the new CPSC data confirms Heelys are safe for active kids, in a day and age where childhood obesity is so prevalent," says Heelys, Inc. CEO Mike Staffaroni. "When Heelys are used in accordance with safety instructions we provide in our packaging and on our Web site (with the proper safety equipment), wheeled sports provide safe opportunities for children to exercise."
Wearing Heelys wheeled footwear is actually good for those who participate in sports like soccer or gymnastics, according to Dr. Damien Dauphinee, a Dallas-area reconstructive foot and ankle surgeon.
"Using Heelys may actually help prevent a common childhood heel disease associated with soccer and gymnastics called Sever's disease, because the posture used when skating with Heelys helps stretch the calves," says Dr. Dauphinee. "Heelys' firm mid-sole and flexibility at the forefoot provides important fit attributes required for an active, healthy lifestyle."
Other doctors agree. "My kids will never have a trampoline, they won't have a motorcycle; but they have and love scooters, skateboards, bikes and Heelys skates and wear them all with the appropriate protective gear," says Austin-based orthopedic surgeon Dr. Edward Seade. "I'd rather see a kid outside having fun and exercising than sitting in front of a TV."
Results from the original study by Heiden Associates in 2006 found that wheeled footwear fared significantly better than other sports. Bike riders had the highest injury rate in the wheeled sports category, while wheeled shoes had the best safety record of all wheeled sports, with an injury rate of only two percent of that for bike riding. (In fact, the study showed that wheeled footwear is safer than nearly all other popular sports with the exception of table tennis, billiards and bowling.)
I'm with Ginny.
Interesting article. Funny thing is, whenever I see children with these shoes, it's in places where I don't think they are appropriate. Not to mention the small fact that these children also never have the "proper safety equipment." I really question this article.
Dd is 12 and has them! She doesn't have the generic version of them though, so I can't comment on those. She keeps them at the lake and uses them on the weekends. Honestly, all of her friends have them and I have never "known" of anyone getting hurt on them. I am sure there have been kids that got hurt, like anything out there, but no one that I know of!
It's true that you can get hurt just walking down the street. You can trip over a crack on the side walk and land on your face.
I was actually going to get some heely's for my dd when she turned 8 (which is tomorrow) but then I saw the little boy next door rolling around the cul de sac with them on. Then I saw him fall SMACK! on to the ground. Luckliy he caught himself with his hands and luckily catching himself with his hands didn't break his wrists. (that happened when i fell while rollerskating in first grade). His mother told me that it was the second time he fell like that and that she hated those Heelys. That was it! I know my dd is not coordiated enough to do the Heely's with out breaking something on her body.
I don't know anything about the generic version though.
Uh, personally I worry more about the INNOCENT PEDESTRIANS the kids in Heelys tend to careen into...(not knocking anyone's child here...but I've witnessed COUNTLESS inappropriate uses of these things. Biggest pet peeve is these things in DISNEYWORLD!! Like the crowds aren't enough of an issue there, now we have roller skating kids pushing thru...sigh....) So my concern is not for the kids in the shoes, it's for the people around them.
I had kindergarteners that had them ALL the time. They seemed to get around fine on them. 
Ditto on the inappropriate use. That's my biggest concern.
My kids have them (8 and 5). My 5 year old is better on them than my oldest.
I don't see that they are anymore inappropriate than skateboards or rollerblades.
My DS (5), gets hurt more on his bike than his heely's.
I would never buy them but that is my personal opinion. Yes, you can get hurt biking and playing sports but my kids wear helmets when they bike. If they have an accident, at least their head is protected. I've yet to see a kid with heelys wearing a helmet.
My 9 yr. old ds has them. He only wears them outside when playing, and he has to wear his helmet with them. I don't know anything about the generic kind. But, I did find then on sale at zappos.com. I bought them back in November for Christmas.
I think the kicker there is with protection. Kids don't wear helmets with heelys.
That being said, my son has them, age 11. He can't quite master them, which means he doesn't really roll much. I think the difference in heelys if you aren't good, or you stumble, you immediately go to no wheels, where as skates can't do that.
DS, 6, has them and got them when he was 5. He has totally mastered the art of heeling. When it comes to those shoes I personally would stay with the name brand. You know they have excellent wheels and that they are made well. I bought DS his when Nordstroms had the 1/2 yearly sale and got a great deal on them. You can also try e-bay, I'm sure you can find a great deal on there.
Rayelle, the decision is up to you, naturally, whether or not to get the Heelys for your dk's. Apparently, this is a controversial topic, and you probably got more input than you bargained for.
The article states that Heelys are for exercise. And as others have mentioned, kids are wearing them EVERYWHERE, not just for exercise, but as daily footwear. So, if you do get them, I would set forth some strict rules about where and when they are to be worn.
I also would say that if you can afford a new pair of skates or a skateboard, you can afford a pair of Heelys. But if you can't afford other exercise equipment and your kids need shoes, I would buy them a regular pair of shoes.
Our 9yo just got a pair. They are SO popular around here! I got his for $60 at shoes.com, using a coupon code.
Last weekend 9yo went to a birthday party at the local roller skating rink - most of the kids used their Heely's and had a blast.
I had no idea this was so involved,lol! They are popular here, and there are signs all over that say no heelys- like at the market and school. I wanted them to use them as they would skates, not regular shoes. I had a coupon code for shoebuy.com, but they are out of girls and my boys size. Thanks for all the info!
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