Most snow shoveling injuries occurred in adult men. However, more than 700 injuries occurred in children under 19. Children were nearly 15 times more likely than adults to be hurt because they were hit by a snow shovel. Most of these injuries were head injuries.

“Shoveling snow can be a great outdoor activity for kids; however, it is important for parents to teach children the correct way to shovel snow and remind them that shovels are not toys,” Smith, says in the news release. “Many of the snow shovel-related injuries to children are the result of horseplay or other inappropriate uses of snow shovels.”