Industry News
With adding up all the costs of lift tickets, food prices, parking costs, and equipment and gear required to go skiing, it takes little time to realize that the sport is expensive. The most expensive cost associated with skiing is purchasing the equipment and gear needed to go skiing. Those costs can easily be thousands of dollars for skis, bindings, boots, poles, clothing, etc. Therefore, when purchasing these items, it is essential to prioritize how much money to spend on which piece of equipment and gear is most vital.
Most skiers say their boots are the most essential equipment they own. However, what about the piece of equipment that protects the head? Some argue that helmets are the most critical safety equipment when skiing. The average helmet ranges from $100 to $400, which is costly; when spending that much money on a piece of equipment, the helmet better work if a skier or snowboarder is ever in a serious crash.
Sport and recreational activity-related head injuries are a significant cause of death and disability in the pediatric population, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics Technical Report.ย Head injuries from sports are contributing to an increasing proportion of all traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) sustained by children and adolescents. The use of helmets has been shown to significantly decrease the risk of nonfatal and fatal head injuries in many sports and recreational activities. In addition to head injuries, serious facial injuries can occur during sports and recreational activities.
Snow sports, primarily skiing and snowboarding, are among the other leading causes of recreational sport-related head injuries. Between 1993 and 2003, an estimated 78,538 snow sports-related head injuries were among children and adolescents treated in emergency department visits. Head injuries account for 7% to 20% of all injuries related to skiing and snowboarding. These injuries are primarily related to falls in which the absence of the helmet is associated with an increased risk of a TBI. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics Report, many national snow sports organizations have championed universal helmet use on slopes to reduce the burden of head injuries.
Reasons for not wearing a helmet include cost, discomfort, and lack of belief it is necessary to prevent injury. A Nova Scotia study of helmet use surveyed a subgroup of 307 skiers and snowboarders on their reasons for using or not using helmets. Reasons for wearing a helmet included protection (77%), personal choice (46%), family (44%), and rules (44%). Reasons for not wearing a helmet included personal choice (29%), comfort (26%), and cost (11%).
Skiing and snowboarding are popular activities for children and youth. Although these activities are popular forms of competitive and recreational sports, there are associated risks of head, neck, and extremity injuries. Several reviews conducted on the effectiveness of helmets in snow sports have concluded there is strong evidence that helmets decrease head injuries. One meta-analysis of six studies reported that helmets effectively reduced head injuries in snow sports.
For skiers or snowboarders, one meta-analysis reported in their pooled analysis that helmets decreased the risk of head injury by 35% with no increases in the risk of neck injury. Although helmet use is recommended for injury prevention in bicycling, snow sports, and recreational sports, there is wide variability in their use during these activities by age, sex, race, ethnicity, and sport.
30 years ago, the only people wearing a helmet on the mountain would be professional skiers. Today, it is rare to find anyone not wearing a helmet while skiing or snowboarding. The ski industry has put much effort into raising awareness, prioritizing safety, and stressing the importance of wearing a helmet while skiing or snowboarding. The studies and numbers do not lie; wearing a helmet can be the difference between standing back up and continuing to head down the mountain or heading to the hospital. The choice is up to the individual, but wearing a helmet undoubtedly increases safety on the mountain.
