Heelys Basics

What are "Heelys"?

Heelys is a brand name, but I'm sure there's other manufacturers. Heelys are shoes which have a wheel in the bottom, usually towards the end of the shoe or in the middle of the shoe. So heelys are like rollerblades disguised as tennis shoes which allow your child to do a bit of random <a href="http://www.videojug.com/interview/roller-skating-and-inline-skating">rollerskating</a> when they feel like it.

How can my child be injured while wearing Heelys?

A child wearing a Heely, pair of Heely shoes, or a shoe with a wheel in the bottom, is an accident waiting to happen, injury is very easy. A child using those shoes is not wearing proper safety gear because they're being marketed as a shoe. They're incredibly dangerous, there's no way to stop, making injury likely. Children use the shoes, and they spend more time watching their feet than they do where they are. There's no way of stopping unless you grab onto something or grab onto someone. They're incredibly dangerous, with high injury potential. They should be marketed as rollerblades, and if a child's going to use Heelys, or a shoe with a wheel in it, they need to wear the same safety equipment they would wear if they were using a scooter, skateboard, or rollerblades.

Should I allow my child to wear Heelys in the store or at school?

A lot of the 'Heelys' are very popular and you will see them in the mall, you will see them on sidewalks. You wouldn't let your child ride in the mall with rollerblades or a skateboard; don't let them them ride in a mall with the Heelys on. The mall surface is very slick, there's escalators in the mall, there's no way a child can safely be in a mall with 'Heelys' on their feet. They should not be worn as shoes.

How can my child stay safe while wearing Heelys?

If you buy a pair of wheelies for your child, just make sure you buy the helmet that goes with it, and require your child to wear that helmet when he's using the shoes. Oftentimes, that'll deter them from wearing the shoes, but it's really important. Wheelies are rollerblades with a tennis shoe top and a wheel on the bottom.