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Dr. Eric Wagner of Emory University shared cautions about cutting avocados
As the weather warms up, it’s that time of year for avocado toast and fresh guacamole.
However, doctors warn that thousands of people will be breaking their hands trying to prepare their favorite avocado snack this summer, as the “peak” season runs from April to July.
What’s more, serious mishaps in the kitchen could cause permanent nerve damage and cut fingers.
The injury, which hand surgeons have dubbed “avocado hand,” typically occurs when someone cuts an avocado with a knife while holding it in one hand or when they use the tip of a knife to try to remove the pit from the fruit.
This makes it easy for the person to lose their grip while cutting the avocado, causing the knife to cut their hand.
Hand surgeons have warned that “avocado hand” injuries are on the rise this summer, leading to nerve damage and amputated fingers.
Dr. Eric Wagner, a hand surgeon and associate professor of orthopedic surgery at Emory University in Atlanta, told the Washington Post:I have treated people who have cut their finger cutting an avocado.
‘Cutting an avocado seems very harmless, but we have seen some pretty serious injuries. By far the most injuries I have seen are due to injuries to avocados.’
In 2020, Dr. Wagner and his colleagues published a study After seeing so many of these accidents, the injury rate was analyzed.
They found that between 1998 and 2017, more than 50,000 Americans went to the emergency room for avocado-related knife injuries. And these incidents have increased over time.
From 1998 to 2002, there were only 3,143 cases. But between 2013 and 2017, that number skyrocketed to 27,059 cases.
And other study 2020 It was found that approximately one in 50 knife injuries are due to cutting avocados.
This explosion of cases could be because avocados have become more popular in recent years.
Federal data suggests that the average American consumed 1.5 pounds of avocados per year in 1989, but in 2017, that number skyrocketed to 7.5 pounds.
Avocado hand injuries could result in cuts to crucial nerves, muscles, tendons, and blood vessels.
According to University of Utah Health, this can cause loss of the ability to flex your fingers, a dull feeling or loss of sensation in your fingers, problems making a fist, and not being able to use your hand normally.
Dr. Wagner’s research found that most injuries occurred in women ages 23 to 29, and the wounds typically occurred on the left hand, as most people used their right hand to hold the knife.
About half of the injuries were cuts to the palms, while the other half were injuries to the fingers.
And most of the incidents occurred on weekends, as Dr. Wagner noted that more people cook and barbecue during that time and they may be less safe than normal.
“A lot of people I see were at a family event when it happened and there was alcohol involved,” he said.
According to the California Avocado Commission, there are several steps to properly cutting an avocado. The agency recommends placing the fruit on a cutting board and cutting it in half lengthwise around the pit.
Then, turn the avocado a quarter turn and cut lengthwise again around the pit. Lower the knife and separate the quarters to remove the bone.