There's new meaning to the old saying "shooting yourself in the foot".

According to new statistics that would make Bob Vila cringe, the number of injuries from nail guns has almost doubled since 2001. . .

n fact, the number of weekend carpenters treated each year for nail gun injuries in emergency rooms in U.S. hospitals more than tripled between 1991 and 2005, increasing to about 14,800 per year. . .

"The increases in injuries are likely related to availability of these tools on the consumer market and the steady decline in the costs of tools and air compressors," Lipscomb said. "The frequency of such injuries that are treated in emergency departments in professional workers have remained relatively flat; however, the tools are now readily accessible to consumers, extending what has been largely an occupational hazard to the general public."

It seems that there might also be a decrease in whacked thumbs and other hammer related injuries, but they don't often result in emergency room visits. I can witness for the extreme pain of thumb whacking, especially when an already whacked thumb is re-whacked: truly exquisite.