Hospitals say kids have hurt themselves wheeling around in Heelys shoes or imitations.

Rolling good fun is what (from left) sisters Nelisa, six, and Nuesha Behnam, 10, and Melissa Tan, nine, nine, are having on their Heelys. 30,000 pairs of which have been sold since December 2002.

In shopping malls, churches and just about everywhere else, kids have been whizzing around in shoes with wheels, or Heelys.

But two hospitals say that they have already begun to treat children who got injured using these shoes.

The National University Hospital (NUH) reported about a dozen cases while KK Women's and Children's Hospital estimated that it has handled 10 cases so far.

Among the more serious cases - a teen fractured his thigh bone and another child fractured his ankle. Both were treated at NUH.

Dr Wong Chin Khoon, a consultant at the hospital's Children's Medical Institute, said that the most common injuries were fractured forearms and ankles, or sprains and minor head injuries.

Those injured tend to be from primary school and above and they were hurt because they lost their balance and fell.

'Often, the children tried to break their fall with their arms, which could lead to fracture of the forearm,' he added.

Local distributor Amazeal, which has sold 30,000 pairs of Heelys since December 2002, said that injuries can happen to new users who do not know how to balance on the shoes and don't know how to break their fall safely.

Mr Michael Tan, the managing director of Amazeal, said Heelys has done all it can to help new users get the hang of the shoes. When people buy a pair, they can sign up for as many classes as they want on how to use the shoes.

The shoes also come with an instructional leaflet and a how-to VCD, which gives tips on how to heel safely.

He also pointed out that the shoes have wheels made of rubber to absorb shock and give extra friction. They also have hardy soles and gel pads to cushion the heels, among other features.

But those who buy the cheaper knock-offs are not getting the safety information. Amazeal said there may be as many as 30 imitation brands on the market, and it has started sending out legal letters to these sellers, warning them against selling imitations.

Mostly made in China, they cost anywhere from $40 to $130 a pair. The real ones cost $186 to $219 a pair.

Of the six parents that The Sunday Times spoke to, five said their children have had minor scrapes while wearing the shoes.

Four of the parents said they bought imitation shoes because their children could soon tire of the fad.

But two of the parents said they would not hesitate to remove the wheels from their children's shoes if they didn't heel safely.

Mr A. Chan, 44, a sales and marketing director, said he had to remove the wheels from his children's shoes on two occasions.

'At the end of the day, kids will be kids. They will tell you okay, they won't play but when they're having fun, they forget what you said.'

But one parent said she refused to buy the shoes - real or fake - for her seven-year-old daughter as she felt the shoes were not safe.

Paediatrician Mary Koh, who is in her late 30s, said: 'They're too costly and there can be accidents if we're not careful. We also don't support fads. She won't be deprived even if she doesn't experience this fad.'

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