Skier Death at Sugarbush on Monday

[Highway Star]

There would probably be less concussions and brain injuries in the NFL if they stopped using helmets.

[SnoBrdr]

I really wonder how much these helmets actually protect us.

Unless you get a real good helmet, they are just a styrofoam type lining.

Are the race helmets the same or are they more like MC helmets.

Race helmets are a lot closer to a recreational ski helmet than a MC helmet. My MC helmets are waaaay heavier/beefier. Race helmets mostly just have a hard shell over the ears.
I'm a helmet wearer nearly 100% of the time, but I'm also of the opinion that for on-trail skiing, they hardly matter. I imagine there's some studies out there, but haven't seen any myself.


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Tell that to Liam Neeson and family.

Tell them what? That a helmet might have made a difference. My first search found this:

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/01/01/s ... uries.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interesting - the impact injuries don't seem to be mitigated. I dunno. In any case, I see no downside in wearing a helmet, so I do.


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I guess you ignored this type of info: "Richardson died after falling on a bunny slope at the Montreal Resort. At the time, Neeson was finishing up the 2009 film Chloe. The Parent Trap actress was staying with her two sons and initially felt fine after the accident. However, she was rushed to the hospital sometime later after falling sick, and was declared brain-dead shortly after. Richardson was 45-years old."

We should all wear helmets, so I do.

[freeski]

I don't wear a helmet and neither do a lot of other skiers. I have a wool hat with a pom pom and turtle fur. When I bought the hat I wanted to cut the pom pom off, but the clerk talked me out of it. The clerk was right.

[random1]

I think the biggest problem with helmets is that they are only designed to protect against head injuries at speeds up to 15mph, when most of us cruise at 25+. They do reduce injuries the severity of injuries (that makes it worth it in my book) and protect against other "softer" objects like branches etc. There are numerous studies on the effectiveness, just google it.

I have googled it, and the evidence is far from compelling. And again, I condone helmet use, and wear one myself, because I can't see the harm in it. Seems like they prevent scrapes and bruises much more than brain injuries.
Also, it's reasonable to ask what risks we're addressing. Fatality rates due to head injuries are something like 1 per 2million skier visits.



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[da Pimp]

Ski helmets provide protection against a lot of little scrapes and dings, but there is no safety rating or standard in effect, like there has been for motorcycle helmets for decades. I saw reports that claim ski helmet protection below 15mph. And since the designs and materials are extensively variable, the facts are likely just as varied.

Yes, a thin layer of hard plastic is better than a wool hat, but will not help you much at a reasonable ski/ride pace. And they do nothing to prevent brain aneurysms, concussions, neck injuries.

Except that when wearing a helmet many people get that false feeling of security and might act not so safely as a result. By that I mean safer skiing/riding or safer actions when in a fall or potential fall. You think its OK to let your helmet bounce or scrape off of something when you would never do that when wearing a wool hat.

I wish someone would gather all the fatality reports for head trauma pre-helmet and post-helmet and compare against the number of skier visits each year. I suspect that the helmet industry would be broadcasting that info as a means of generating sales, but I do not see any such info in the market.

Hey - a boatload of people die every year in car and boating accidents from head trauma, yet no industry push to make us wear buckets in those activities.

[hillbangin]

Let's leave it at this - you are better off with a helmet than without.

It may not save your life - but I know it has saved me and my family dings, cuts, and bruises.

Skiing is dangerous - be careful out there.............

[brownman]

My Moriarty hand woven tassel pom has saved me countless times.
For many, only difference a helmet would make is open or closed casket.

[random1]

I guess you ignored this type of info: "Richardson died after falling on a bunny slope at the Montreal Resort. At the time, Neeson was finishing up the 2009 film Chloe. The Parent Trap actress was staying with her two sons and initially felt fine after the accident. However, she was rushed to the hospital sometime later after falling sick, and was declared brain-dead shortly after. Richardson was 45-years old."

We should all wear helmets, so I do.

Nope, didn't ignore it, it's a pretty well known story. Read the research - a hard helmet doesn't prevent the type of internal brain injuries, concussions, etc., which are from the brain more or less moving inside the skull. There's no way to know with certainty if a helmet would've made a difference in her case, but from the little I've read this morning, it doesn't seem all that likely.

BTW - you should wear a helmet all the time. Many cars on the road don't have side/window airbags, and head injuries from side impact can be severe. Even a trip on the street might result in hitting your head, so why not? That's my earlier point about what risks you are trying to prevent/avoid.

[skilab]

Something not good just happened at K. State trooper, witt, emt, administration truck. Ambulance left with no lights. Prayers

[ejrides]

I wish someone would gather all the fatality reports for head trauma pre-helmet and post-helmet and compare against the number of skier visits each year. I suspect that the helmet industry would be broadcasting that info as a means of generating sales, but I do not see any such info in the market.

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/01/spor ... .html?_r=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Stormchaser]

I wish someone would gather all the fatality reports for head trauma pre-helmet and post-helmet and compare against the number of skier visits each year. I suspect that the helmet industry would be broadcasting that info as a means of generating sales, but I do not see any such info in the market.

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/01/spor ... .html?_r=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The article you reference shows no reduction in # of brain injuries, but does reflect reduction in severity of injuries including large rates of reduction for non-brain head injuries.

The increase in helmet use has had positive results. Experts say helmets have reduced the numbers of less serious head injuries, like scalp lacerations, by 30 percent to 50 percent, and Schumacher’s doctors say he would not have survived his fall had he not worn a helmet. But growing evidence indicates that helmets do not prevent some more serious injuries, like the tearing of delicate brain tissue, said Jasper Shealy, a professor emeritus at Rochester Institute of Technology.

[Woodsrider]

Unfortunately ski helmets are not yet designed to prevent brain trauma. I'm not sure why. It wouldn't be difficult. The protection from sever brain trauma is very well documented for motorcycle helmets. I believe it is something like 37% reduction in death rates and 67% reduction in brain trauma. Those numbers may be off but I think they are close. Even industrial hard hats do a better job of cushioning impact.
But they are clearly better than nothing.

[spanky]

I wear a similar helmet bike riding. I don't see any reason not to wear one skiing. I am also of the belief they do not make me invincible. It's just a possible reduction of risk.

Also, I was recently at Alta/Snowbird. It appeared that most of the patrollers at both resorts did NOT wear helmets. I wonder why that is.

[DrJeff]

I wear a similar helmet bike riding. I don't see any reason not to wear one skiing. I am also of the belief they do not make me invincible. It's just a possible reduction of risk.

Also, I was recently at Alta/Snowbird. It appeared that most of the patrollers at both resorts did NOT wear helmets. I wonder why that is.

I've asked a few of my patroller friends why most of them don't wear helmets while working, and their answer tends to be that the helmet makes it more difficult at times to hear what the person they're working on during a call may be saying at times. Valid point or not? Not sure....

I do know that one of my patroller friends who doesn't where a helmet while he is working, does wear a helmet when he's out free skiing at not wearing his red "work coat"

[SkiDork]

You would think it would be a requirement for patrollers to wear helmets. Similar to requirements for track workers and pit crews to wear helmets during F1 races...