Wrap rage: A holiday injury waiting to happen

According to a poll of Pennsylvania adults, about 17 percent of Pennsylvanians experienced an injury or knows someone who was injured while opening gifts during past seasons.

The Patient Poll, a survey of Pennsylvania adults (21 y.o. and older) conducted by the Institute for Good Medicine at the Pennsylvania Medical Society in July 2009, asked participants "Have you or someone you know ever been injured (such as receiving a cut that required medical attention) while opening the packaging (not gift wrap) of a holiday or birthday gift?"

Its findings …

Yes, one time = 6.3% Yes, more than once = 11.0% No = 82.7%

According to the American Dialect Society, wrap rage is defined as anger brought on by the frustration of trying to open a factory-sealed purchase. The organization recognized the term in 2007 as one of the "most useful."

A March 2006 story in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette quoted Todd Marks, a senior editor at Consumer Reports, as saying, "Today's packages force consumers to fight tooth and nail to get at what's inside."

The same article also claims that 2001 Census Bureau data shows people suffer twice the injuries from packaging than injuries from skateboards or swimming pools.

As we enter the holiday season, Pennsylvania's physicians are encouraging citizens to play it safe with tough-to-open packaging to avoid an unnecessary trip to the emergency room. The following tips may help:

1. If you must use a knife or another type of sharp object, cut away from your body.
2. If you must use scissors, use ones with blunt tips.
3. Wear protective gloves.
4. Avoid opening tough-to-open packages in a crowded area.
5. Don't use your legs to keep the product stable.