Carving a Jack-o-Lantern is a fun holiday tradition for Halloween. But if you’re not careful, the activity can end with a trip to the emergency room.
University Orthopedics’ Dr. Joseph Gil – with a little help from his little goblins – showed us what to do and NOT do when carving pumpkins.
His advice included some helpful safety information to keep your pumpkin carving session from turning into a ghoulish scene, including:
- Supervise children
- Choose proper tools – the biggest knife isn’t necessarily the best
- Keep pumpkin on a stable surface
- Carve in a well-lit room
If you do get cut, seek medical help if:
- Bleeding doesn’t stop after applying pressure for 10-15 minutes
- You can’t bend fingers
- Fingers feel numb
Joseph A. Gil, MD,
is an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in treating hand and upper extremity conditions. He is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.
With advanced training in hand and upper extremity surgery, Dr. Gil has an interest in brachial plexus injuries, nerve conditions, tendon transfers, soft tissue reconstruction, wrist and finger arthritis, athletic wrist injuries, and upper extremity trauma.