The University Health System issued a media advisory yesterday just in time for Halloween, warning potential pumpkin carvers to use caution, or stick to paint, when working on this year's spooky creations.
Serious hand injuries can result to both children and adults as a consequence of pumpkin-carving accidents, warned Dr. Greg Degnan, director of the Virginia Hand Center at the University Health System.
Serious cuts and permanent tendon and nerve damage can occur instantly if a pumpkin carver's hand is in the wrong place while dislodging a stuck knife, Degnan said.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in a recent study recommended the use of pumpkin carving kits in order to stave off hand injuries. These kits are less likely to cause injury because they are less likely to get stuck in a pumpkin and require force to remove. Also, the kits are not as sharp as normal knives and are less likely to cause a serious cut if an accident occurs.
The study also suggested that individuals attempting to carve pumpkins work in an area that is clean, well-lit and entirely dry. Moisture on carving tools, hands or work surface can lead to slipping tools and injuries.
Sharper knives do not make better tools for pumpkin carving, the advisory warned. The sharper the knife, the more likely it will wedge in the thick part of the pumpkin and get stuck, requiring force to remove.
In order to avoid the risk of injury altogether while still enjoying decorating pumpkins, individuals should use paint instead of carving tools, the advisory said.
Some students expressed dismay at this suggestion.
"There are much more complicated things going on at this University than pumpkin carving," third-year College student Josh Wilfong said. "If people can experiment with highly toxic molecules, they should be able to carve a pumpkin safely."
--Compiled by Riley McDonald
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