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“Ski Helmet Use Isn’t Reducing Brain Injuries”

A recent article in the New York Times revealed some disturbing figures. Citing numbers released from the National Ski Areas Association showed that although the number of people that wear a helmet has tripled in the last decade to 70% there has been no decrease in the number of deaths or brain injuries on the slopes.

“Ski Helmet Use Isn’t Reducing Brain Injuries”

“The helmet does a very good job at protecting against skull lacerations and skull fractures, but it doesn’t seem to have much effect on concussions or traumatic brain injuries,” said Jasper Shealy, a professor emeritus at Rochester Institute of Technology, to the New York Times.

The newspaper reports on 2 studies that show that head injuries have actually gone up. A study from the Western Michigan University School of Medicine claims the number of head injuries increased 60% in a seven-year period, from 9,308 in 2004 to 14,947 in 2010.

Another study, by the University of Washington, concluded that the number of young people suffering a head injury from 1996 to 2010 had increased 210%.

The article goes on to show reports that helmets only really offer protection at low speeds and surmised that people wearing a helmet might ski faster or more aggressively as they believe a helmet would protect them in the case of an accident.

Source: NY Times Via Unofficial Networks
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1 comment

  1. Yeah. I think every boarder knows this. You hit your head hard and you see a big flash of white, you know your helmet didn't do shit. But hey, I ain't stopping, would you?

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