Skiing and snowboarding have always had an inherent risk component. Five to ten percent of injuries on the slopes are to the head, which can be devastating and lethal. Most severe head injuries occur from collisions with trees, lift poles or another skier.

Sports related brain injuries account for approximately 300,000 injuries a year; with winter sports such as skiing, snowboarding and ice-skating making up approximately 20,000 of those injuries.

Physical, cognitive, behavioral or emotional impairments, either transient or permanent, can be caused by traumatic brain injury.

Men are more likely to sustain a brain injury than women. The highest rate of brain injuries occurs in 155-to-24 year olds.

No longer just for downhill racers, the helmet is a rapidly growing and accepted piece of protective gear. Five years ago almost no one wore a helmet, and not it's estimated that 10 percent of skiers and boarders are wearing them.

Helmets are lightweight, warm, and comfortable and provide the wearer peace of mind that they are doing the most to ensure a safe ski or snowboarding experience.

In skiing and snowboarding traumatic brain injury is secondary to impact energy to the head transferred to the brain from a fall onto or collision with snow, rocks, trees, man-made objects or other skiers/snowboarders. The type and seriousness of the injury are dependent on many variables such as the force of impact, the angle of impact in relation to the head, and the protective features in place.

Helmets do provide significant protection. They dramatically reduce forces applied to the skull and the brain and thus reduce the potential for traumatic brain injury. The outer shell of a helmet protects against penetration while the inner energy-absorbing liners reduce the forces that are transferred to the head. New materials, with even more protection.

In 1999, the Consumer Prodect Safety Commission published a position statement on the use of skiing helmets. It found that safety helmets for motorcycling and bicycling provide effective protection against head and brain injuries, including severe brain injuries. It is also reasonable to suggest from the bicycling and motorcycling experience that a skiing helmet that meets a suitable standard could provide effective protection against head and brain nijuries in many types of skiing-related accidents involving head impact.

Children often view the world as a challenge. While some are extremely timid on the slopes, many others believe faster is "better". Judgement is not alwats part of their decision process. However, one's behavior is the best protection against an accident, even while wearing a helmet. In other words, one should both ski responsibly and wear a helmet. An effective tool for the prevention or reduction of injury from falls or impacts are helmets.

Head and spinal injuries are on the rise as a result of skiing and snowboard accidents.

Faster speeds and complicated maneuvers are leading to more head and spine injuries among downhill skiers and snowboarders.

Helmet use is associated with a 22 percent reduction in head injury risk, but helmets are not being used by the majority of those on the slopes.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that helmets could prevent half of head injuries on the slopes; but a survey of several U.S. ski resorts found that just one in eight skiers and snowboarders wore helmets. Notably, the most skilled athletes were most likely to wear a helmet.

It is true many parents buy helmets too big, so that kids will grow into them; a poorly fitted helmet offer less protection, impeding vision and muffling hearing.

Information obtain for this document was from the Brain Injury Resource Foundation

Homepage