What Business Is Seeing a Boost? It’s, er, the ER

The popularity of skateboarding has boosted a number of businesses, including some that skaters would rather bypass.

For example, since the hot new Vans Skate Park opened in November at the Block at Orange shopping center, business has reportedly perked up at UC Irvine’s emergency room across the street.

“Without exaggeration, we get at least three to five [skaters] a week,” said Diane Wicklund, director of emergency and trauma nursing at the hospital. Many of the injuries are relatively minor, such as strains and sprains, but some are more serious.

While the skate park said it requires that all its visitors wear helmets and other protective gear, hospital workers say skaters still manage to hurt themselves.

“We’ve had some where they’ve had all their ribs on one side broken,” Wicklund said.

The helmets have prevented serious head injuries, she said, but some patients have suffered concussions or contusions. That’s because, even with protective headgear, the brain will sometimes “rattle around” enough in the skull to cause such injuries, she said.

“In the old days, we used to say they had their bell rung,” Wicklund said.