Chicago – Helmets greatly reduce the risk of head injuries among skiers and snowboarders, Norwegian researchers found, dispelling fears that protective headgear would only make people more reckless on the slopes.
Researchers hope their study, along with helmet-clad Olympic athletes like Shaun “The Flying Tomato” White, will lead to greater use of headgear.
“Do as the Olympians do,” said study co-author Dr. Roald Bahr of the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences in Oslo. “Wear a helmet, even if you’re not an elite skier or snowboarder – especially if you’re not.”
Some critics argue helmets may lead to accidents by giving daredevil skiers a false sense of security or cause more neck injuries because of the weight of the headgear.
The study found that while risk takers were more likely to wear helmets, helmet wearers overall were 60 percent less likely to suffer head injuries.
It also found a lower risk of neck injuries with helmet wear, but that finding was not statistically significant, meaning it could have been due to chance.
The study looked at data on more than 6,000 skiers and snowboarders at eight Norwegian ski resorts during the 2002 winter season. It appears in today’s Journal of the American Medical Association.
With about 39 fatalities a year, skiing and snowboarding are safer than bicycling or swimming, which have higher death rates, according to the National Ski Areas Association, a trade group.
Helmet use is increasing, the group said, with one-third of skiers and snowboarders surveyed last season wearing helmets.
