Avocado Hand

[LovelyBath77]

Apparently people are injuring themselves cutting their hands when opening an avocado, and this is becoming common. I mean how hard is to to cut an avocado, carefully, and prise the stone out with a spoon?

[SoupDragon]

The actor who plays Martin Fowler in East Enders did this. He had to appear for weeks with his hand/arm in a huge cast and sling and some ridiculous storyline about injuring it falling over drunk.

[[http://lifestyle.one/closer/celebrity/news/eastenders-star-james-bye-rushed-aande-avocado-accident/ quality reporting here (not DM)

[Blackadderspants]

I've done it!

Stabbed my ring finger with a knife when getting overenthusiastic with an avocado (oo-er)

It was bloody painful! But I learned my lesson.

[LaLegue]

I distinctly remember Avocado Hand featuring prominently on MN in a thread entitled Middle Class Injuries a while ago. I think it might be in Classics. I immediately thought of it when I heard this story in the news. I bet Avocado Hand is more of a pressing issue for A&E departments in Chelsea or Weybridge than it is in Blackburn and Burnley General.

[CabernetSauvignyoni]

My best friend severed the tendons in her little finger about a year ago cutting an avocado...she had surgery but now her little finger is permanently bent. It's like a little reminder to use a board like a sensible person

[stealthsquiggle]

Not a uniquely British idiocy - one of my Swedish colleagues was sporting an impressive dressing on her hand for a couple of weeks following an encounter with an avocado.

..it made me feel much better for the only 2 times I have cut myself badly enough to go to hospital - one was cutting butter (small but deep injury to hand, much like avocado hand) and the other was falling down an escalator (not recommended - surgery and large permanent scar)

[JT05]

Avocados no problem. Separating frozen beef burgers with a sharp knife is another matter!

[InglouriousBasterd]

I am one of these...in my defence, the knife was not sharp, I just managed to force it through my hand. Very common according to surgeon

[Kobieta]

Yikes, I eat a lot of avocado and hadn't realised that I was risking serious injury.
I shall take extra care from now on......

[Zaphodsotherhead]

I have never injured myself on an avocado.

However, I have impressive potato-peeler related scars on both hands...

[littlefurrysheep]

i did exactly this a few years ago

[Misspilly88]

I'm just surprised people get the stone out with a spoon, surely that absolutely massacres the avocado?! Spose better than your hand though. Just never seen anyone do it another way than the machete method!

[User246810]

Avocado cutter. Cuts, removes stone and neatly slices. They sell them in John Lewis.

I thought everyone had one?!

[AnathemaPulsifer]

I have a blunt avocado knife with a little bend at the tip that makes it really easy to remove the stone with zero damage to stone nor flesh.

[blueskyinmarch]

I eat loads of avocados and i cut round them longways then prise the stone out with my fingers. Never had any accidents yet.

[Ibiza123]

Er so I actually did this and the knife went through my hand and out the other side (well the tip of the blade did) Had to get it stitched and everything. I have been destoning avocados this way forever. Only after going through my hand did I stop to think what a complete and utter dick I've been. Can't believe it's apparently such a big issue, thought I was the only idiot!

[Judashascomeintosomemoney]

Goodness, is it the most middle class injury ever? I've got a contender, I once tripped over the dog (Labrador, natch) and as I fell forwards, put my hand down on the open hot plate of the Aga. Really, really hurt.

[cinnamongirl1976]

It is quite a middle-class and embarrassing injury, but I've done it. My hand has never been the same since and it was about 3 years ago. I am not stupid, but I was in a rush trying to make a sandwich for work at 6am, had the avocado in my hand, tried to de-stone it and the knife went through the stone and into my hand. The moment it happened, I suddenly couldn't feel the end of my ring finger and it's never been the same since! I did have an operation but I think the op made it worse. The consultant said he sees the injury all the time - either from avocados or people trying to prise frozen burgers apart. I do regret it and feel a bit stupid now as the damaged hand can't grip as well and aches in cold weather!

[mumeeee]

I always put the avocado.on the board cut round it length ways then pull the 2 halves apart. I then easily get the stone out with a teaspoon. Doesn't damage the avocado at all.

[TheFlis12345]

Been there, done that, got the scar to prove it. My surgeon also told me that it's the most common cause of hand- knife injuries after frozen burgers. My injury wasn't quite the same as the widely reported one but was because of an avocado. Be careful folks, the are a hazard! All I wanted was guacamole and I got six hours in A&E, 2 hours in theatre and 12 weeks of physio!

[mygorgeousmilo]

This is a thing? I've always done quick slice round lengthways, followed by machete-style whack into the stone. Now I'm scared!

[honeyharris]

Who would poke a sharp knife into a hard stone when you can just turn the avocado half on its side and take the stone out with your own blunt, safe fingers?

[BarbaraofSeville]

This machete style whacking sounds like sheer lunacy .

[HomityBabbityPie]

honey I've never managed that, the stones always seem to be stuck fast

[thirdDozen]

I did it before it was fashionable. Working in a kitchen when avocados were fashionable the first time.

Of course the knives were like razors. It wasn't the cutting it in half or getting the stone out, it was slicing / scoring the inside with the tip of the knife and it went through skin of the fruit and a cut across the palm of my hand. Hurt like fuck!

[theclick]

Nah, the middle classes wouldn't be seen dead in Iceland. *

I was just about to say...