Water Walking Balls Have Risk Of Suffocation Drowning And Injury
Editor's ChoiceMain Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 01 Apr 2011 - 7:00 PDT
email to a friend 
printer friendly 
opinions
| Patient / Public: |  |
3.76 (37 votes) |
| Healthcare Prof: | |
3.89 (9 votes) |
| Article Opinions: | 11 posts |
If you go into a water walking ball you will see that there is no emergency exit, the only way you can get out is when someone outside opens the ball for you. The risk of injury or death when inside the ball is significant if the person becomes distressed, says the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
This new type of recreational activity has become very popular. You go inside a large, transparent ball which floats on water or rolls on grass or ice, as you walk, as a hamster does in its wheel, the ball rolls and you move forward with it.
The authors of a new CPSC report explain that individuals with breathing problems, heart or lung disease, and other pre-existing medical conditions can have seriously worsening symptoms when inside one of these balls.
Walking balls are popular in amusement parks, events, carnivals, and shopping malls. Children love them. You can even buy one for your own family.
Some states are now refusing to provide permits, while others are banning them altogether.
CPSC mentions an incident in which a child was briefly unresponsive while inside one of these products - the child required emergency medical treatment.
Another child used the ball on a shallow, above-ground swimming pool, the ball fell out of it onto hard ground and the child suffered a fracture.
CPSC warns that the following risks are associated with this product:
- Suffocation - the ball is airtight. As the person inside breaths, oxygen levels drop and CO2 (carbon dioxide) rises. Within a few minutes air quality can pose a serious danger.
- Drowning - if the ball is on water and has a leak or puncture, it can fill up with water. There is no way for the person to get out without outside help.
- Impact injuries - the balls have no padding. If the balls collide with each other there is the potential for serious injuries. If the ball hits a hard object there is also a risk of injury.
CPSC believes there is no safe way of using walking balls.
If you wish to report an incident, please visit www.saferproducts.gov. You can also telephone (800) 638-2772.
Source: US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
Written by Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today
MLA
23 Feb. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/221009.php>
APA
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/221009.php.
Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.
|
Rate this article: (Hover over the stars then click to rate) |
Patient / Public: |
or |
Health Professional: |
Visitor Opinions In Chronological Order (11)
carry a sharp (sheathed) knife
posted by jerry kathnelson on 1 Apr 2011 at 8:12 amMy Title says it all.
late to the game
posted by gungi on 1 Apr 2011 at 8:16 amThese risks have been around for year on this. Why even bring it up again as if its news?
Duh!
posted by Jackson on 1 Apr 2011 at 8:20 amI am sorry, but devices/activities like this (and bunjy jumping, and sky-diving, and SCUBA diving) carry with them some inherent risks. Any reasonable person engaging in on-water activities should carry with them some basic emergency equipment.
An obvious (to me) solution to this particular problem is a manually-inflatable life jacket as well as a nice sharp emergency knife to cut your way out. West Marine sells razor sharp rigging knives that are perfect for this application.
FWIW, New Zealand has been using these type of balls for years; both on land and water. Quit Coddling the public and perhaps teach some people about personal responsibility.
Responsibilty
posted by Michael on 1 Apr 2011 at 8:57 amIt's ok for adults to take that risk, but the issue here is that children were allowed to use them with the idea that they were safe. I agree that we should allow adults to do whatever stupid thing they want, but there needs to be protections in place to allow kids to have fun without serious risk. I don't think giving a sharp knife to a young kid is a good idea in any situation.
Seems to me a little bit panicy.
posted by Manok on 1 Apr 2011 at 9:15 am"Within a few minutes air quality can pose a serious danger."...
That's pretty outrageous...
Nobody in the CPSC has done any kind of investigation to oxygen deplection, nor has ever watched "Mythbusters"...
BUSTED!
"if the ball is on water and has a leak or puncture, it can fill up with water."
Only if the leak is below water level, water gets inside. That's only a small part of the time. It must be a serious hole to get into trouble. But not too serious, else it provides an escape.
"the balls have no padding. If the balls collide with each other there is the potential for serious injuries."
What? It's one giant airbag!!!
"Okay kids, sorry, you cannot get into the walking ball. Let's get into the car and get home. Oh, but cars have a far greater accident ratio than walking balls! What now??"
Swimming
posted by Granger Horton on 1 Apr 2011 at 9:24 amBecause Swimming doesn't have the risk of drowning or injury
EVERYTHING IS DANGEROUS
posted by derrrr on 1 Apr 2011 at 9:25 amThis article is correct, these things are nothing but dangerous deathtraps and should be banned from existence entirely. And Michael is right, we should take away sharp knives from young children because they obviously don't have proper motor skills or enough life experience to handle the responsibility of a sharp object... which brings me to my next point... BOY SCOUTS... buncha young boys who are encouraged to play with knives and start fires... we should ban that organization along with these "death balls".
common sense
posted by Kelly on 1 Apr 2011 at 10:16 am"Another child used the ball on a shallow, above-ground swimming pool, the ball fell out of it onto hard ground and the child suffered a fracture."
That simply sounds like an unsupervised child or a bad safety decision by an adult. It seems like most people would know that a fall is likely to occur in that situration. Not the fault of the product. I don't think these products should be used by children at all. Adults should be notified of risk and make their own choice, just like they do when sky diving, bungee jumping..etc.
Maybe this should be considered an "extreme" activity like "extreme" sports.
How safe is safe?
posted by AguaSpheres on 1 Apr 2011 at 10:26 amAguaSpheres have operated water walking balls in Spain for 3 years. In that time we have had over 20,000 children use this activity – the only injury being a girl who grazed her toe as she caught it with the toenail from her other foot.
With far more serious injuries occurring in the day to day sporting activities that children partake in – should the government also consider banning american football, soccer, rugby etc?
Also, government experts should know that humans actually breathe out 4 times more oxygen than carbon dioxide. Intake fresh air is approx 21% oxygen and 0.05% CO2. Exhaled air is approx 16% oxygen and 4% CO2, so oxygen depletion is not as rapid as suggested.
However, especially where children are concerned, water walking balls should only be used for short periods and under expert trained supervision to ensure the welfare of participants. I have seen many video examples from USA where the supervision is lax to say the least. Stupidity bans such an activity, sensibility ensures safe and correct use of the equipment.
The idea of the ability to open the sphere from the inside places more risk upon the participant, especially if a child was to open the zip while on top of the water. This akin to allowing someone to tie the rope around their own ankles for a bungee jump!
water only balls.
posted by steve on 1 Apr 2011 at 11:11 amIt seems to me, an emergemcy exit on the inside is doable. I tried one on land and went down a hill that hurt like h..l ! It was umsupervised. A knife is trouble and not the solution. I think they are great resort and supervised by rescue folks on standby. If I had hit a rock I would have been dead or possibly maimed or knocked out to suffocate! Everything has risk and not for solo unsuperized folks. I love the fun of water and seeing below. But they get hot really fast so temperatures are important. Probably safer than a trampoline, but folks dont see the dangers. I would only do it on water, or a beach/sand and only with supervision and rescue boats with oxygen etc. No they are not for just anyone and using them around suburbs/ towns is not a good idea! Just tripping over your feet can send you rocketing uncontrolably for broken bones and head injury! Wear a ski/ bike hemet with pads when on land and common sense. Be careful of older folks whose bones break more easily, and heart attacks/ strokes from heat and stress. They take some practice and not for everyone. Dude, stop attacking Cub/Boyscouts for water balls. U likely never been a Scout that teaches caution and responsibiity! You might be lucky when one saves your bacon.
First 10 opinions shown. For all opinions, click through to the full thread.
Add Your Opinion
Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.
If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.
All opinions are moderated before being included (to stop spam)
Contact Our News Editors
For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.
Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:
Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.
Privacy Policy |
Terms and Conditions
MediLexicon International Ltd
Bexhill-on-Sea, United Kingdom
MediLexicon International Ltd © 2004-2012 All rights reserved.
