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I can personally speak on how
wearing a helmet has protected me from serious injury when
mountain biking. In fact, one of our clubs, Portland United
Mountain Peddlers (PUMP) requires everyone joining their organized
rides to wear helmets. Why should skiing be any different? It
isn't just about your ability and your control--what if someone
out of control runs you over? Your wearing a helmet is just
protection. I am also aware of people who have fallen and their
skis came off and hit them on the head, creating a deep head cut
requiring stitches; a helmet would have prevented these types of
cuts.
The National Ski Patrol (“NSP”) points out that the following
individuals wear helmets (aka "brain buckets"): rock climbers, ice
climbers, mountain bikers, road cyclists, kayakers, skydivers,
Para gliders, in-line skaters, motocross enthusiasts and
motorcyclists, auto racers, equestrians, hockey players, and
construction and utility workers. "Helmets are a viable piece of
equipment for skiers and snowboarders, just as they are for any
sport or profession where one might encounter a bump on the head,"
states NSP's executive director, Stephen Over. It is not a matter
of looking good but being safe (and helmets are a lot warmer).
Wearing a helmet is safer, but you still must ski/board safely and
not more aggressively or out of control. If you want to look good
wearing a helmet, Jerry and Patty Ignatowski of Mountain High
Snowsport Club (aka Plaza/Edgeset) can educate people on fun
helmet covers (see
www.vazisport.com).
According to a Consumer Reports article in the December 2003
magazine, doctors believe 5-year-old Eliot Levmore, from Chicago,
is alive today due to wearing a helmet. Eliot veered off course
and plowed into a tree during a ski lesson; he suffered cuts and
bruises but was spared serious head injury by his helmet. The
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that in 2002,
about 23,000 skiers and snowboarders suffered head injuries. The
CPSC estimates that 40% of those injuries would have been
prevented or lessened if the person had been wearing a helmet.
Furthermore, according to the CPSC, although head injuries are
only a small subset of skiing and snowboarding injuries, they are
considered a major cause of the death in such accidents.
Helmets may not save you from a hard, straight-on hit to the
head, but they sure can't hurt. You can get a helmet at any of the
local ski shops or going to the National Ski Council Federation's
webpage for a great deal on helmets:
www.skifederation.org/benefits.html in the Members Only
section; the user name is skigroup and the password is 24councils.
It is important that any helmet be properly fitted and that it
not uncomfortably restrict your vision or hearing. Read the helmet
manufacturer's information and learn about what level of
protection a particular helmet will provide. All models are not
the same and do not provide the same level of protection. Like
bike helmets, if you hit your head hard while wearing a helmet,
you should probably replace it. Some manufacturers offer free or
discounted replacements if the helmet is damaged due to a crash. |
