Consumer electronics have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. From smartphones and tablets to kitchen appliances and fitness gadgets, we depend on these devices for communication, entertainment, and convenience.
But with the widespread adoption of such gadgets comes an often-overlooked concern - the risk of injuries associated with their use.
In this article, we delve into the surprising facts and figures surrounding the most dangerous consumer electronics and explore how these seemingly innocuous devices can lead to injuries.
The research comes from the tech lovers at Electronics Hub. They analyzed injury data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, which estimates the annual number of injuries to people caused by electronic products in the USA each year.
Let's get into it.
The most common smartphone injuries include:
From explosive e-cigarettes to virtual reality-induced eye strain, the rise of consumer electronic goods has led to some truly bizarre injuries.
Here are a few of the strangest ones:
Virtual reality headset injuries are rising rapidly. According to a report by Electronic Hub, they've increased by 5x since 2017. Common injuries include trips, falls, and headaches.
There were 939 drone-related injuries in the USA in 2021. Drones are a technology for the future, with companies like Amazon planning to use them for super-fast delivery services. Let's hope they don't rush safety testing.
A US makeup artist left people stunned when he went on TikTok in A&E to reveal he was waiting for an operation after accidentally getting a vape pen stuck up his bum. Accident? It sounds more like a ‘misadventure.’
You could ask Johnny Depp. He needed hospital treatment after his ex-Amber Heard launched a TV remote at his face during their tumultuous relationship.
Around 20,000 of those will suffer a video game-related injury every single year. The most common issue is gamer's thumb. It's a painful condition caused by swelling of the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist.
Other common injuries reported include contusions and abrasions. A study published in the journal Pediatrics found that the injuries were mostly associated with using gaming consoles, such as the Xbox and PlayStation.
Who knew that our devices could be so dangerous? Be careful next time you make a call or pick up that PlayStation controller. Or you might end up in the ER room.
Read next: What's UR State Saying? A Look at the Most Popular Textspeak in Each State
But with the widespread adoption of such gadgets comes an often-overlooked concern - the risk of injuries associated with their use.
In this article, we delve into the surprising facts and figures surrounding the most dangerous consumer electronics and explore how these seemingly innocuous devices can lead to injuries.
The research comes from the tech lovers at Electronics Hub. They analyzed injury data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, which estimates the annual number of injuries to people caused by electronic products in the USA each year.
Let's get into it.
The most dangerous consumer electronic device
"Smartphones, dumb people?" A bit harsh. Then again, more than 34,000 people in the USA are injured by their smartphones every year. That makes the smartphone the most dangerous consumer electronic device in this study.
The most common smartphone injuries include:
- Text Neck: Neck pain and strain caused by looking down at a smartphone for extended periods.
- Tendinitis: Inflammation of the tendons in the wrist caused by repetitive scrolling, typing, or gaming on a smartphone.
- Thumb strain: Pain or strain in the thumb due to overuse or repetitive motion on the smartphone screen.
- Eye strain: Blurry vision, headaches, and dry eyes caused by staring at the bright screen of the smartphone for extended periods.
- Strained vision: Holding the phone too close to the eyes can lead to nearsightedness or myopia.
- Cellphone elbow: Pain and numbness in the elbow caused by holding the smartphone to the ear for extended periods.
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Repetitive strain injury caused by prolonged use of a smartphone that can cause numbness, tingling, and pain in the fingers and wrist.
- Sleep problems: Blue light emitted by smartphone screens can disrupt sleep patterns and cause insomnia.
- Distraction-related injuries: Accidents caused by walking, driving, or operating machinery while distracted by a smartphone.
Weirdest consumer electronic device injuries
From explosive e-cigarettes to virtual reality-induced eye strain, the rise of consumer electronic goods has led to some truly bizarre injuries.
Here are a few of the strangest ones:
- A Texas man was hospitalized with severe burns and a shattered jaw after his e-cigarette exploded in his face.
- A 46-year-old man in China suffered an electric shock when his headphones melted and fused onto his ears. Ouch! He had been listening to music for several hours while sleeping, and the heat from the headphones caused burns to his ears and scalp.
- An Australian woman suffered second-degree burns to her thighs when her laptop battery exploded while it was on her lap.
- A man in the United States experienced vision problems after spending too much time locked into virtual reality. Doctors found that he had developed a condition called "binocular vision dysfunction" due to the prolonged use of the headset.
- A man in China was diagnosed with severe carpal tunnel syndrome after playing video games 10 hours a day for over a month. He had to undergo surgery to treat the condition.
- In 2021, a woman in the United Kingdom suffered an electric shock when she picked up her phone while charging. The shock was so severe that it left her with burns on her hand.
- A 1-year-old boy in the United States was rushed to hospital after swallowing a button battery from a remote control. The battery lodged in his esophagus and caused internal bleeding. Thankfully, he survived.
Virtual Reality Headset injuries
Virtual reality headset injuries are rising rapidly. According to a report by Electronic Hub, they've increased by 5x since 2017. Common injuries include trips, falls, and headaches.
Drone injuries in the USA
There were 939 drone-related injuries in the USA in 2021. Drones are a technology for the future, with companies like Amazon planning to use them for super-fast delivery services. Let's hope they don't rush safety testing.
Vape pen injuries
If the vaping culture really grinds your gears, then you might like this next stat. The number one hipster accessory caused almost 2,000 injuries in 2021.
A US makeup artist left people stunned when he went on TikTok in A&E to reveal he was waiting for an operation after accidentally getting a vape pen stuck up his bum. Accident? It sounds more like a ‘misadventure.’
TV remote control injuries in the USA
Remote control-related injuries left 5,762 Americans needing hospital treatment in 2021. The obvious question is, how do you get injured by a remote control?
You could ask Johnny Depp. He needed hospital treatment after his ex-Amber Heard launched a TV remote at his face during their tumultuous relationship.
Video game injuries in the USA
Today, 66% of Americans, that's more than 215 million people of all ages and backgrounds, play video games at least once a week.
Around 20,000 of those will suffer a video game-related injury every single year. The most common issue is gamer's thumb. It's a painful condition caused by swelling of the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist.
Other common injuries reported include contusions and abrasions. A study published in the journal Pediatrics found that the injuries were mostly associated with using gaming consoles, such as the Xbox and PlayStation.
Who knew that our devices could be so dangerous? Be careful next time you make a call or pick up that PlayStation controller. Or you might end up in the ER room.
Read next: What's UR State Saying? A Look at the Most Popular Textspeak in Each State
