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Helmets may lower the risk of head injuries in skiers and snowboarders without increasing risk of neck injuries
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Helmets may reduce the risk of head injury among skiers and snowboarders by 35% and do not cause an additional risk of neck injury, according to a study appearing in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
“There is concern that helmets may increase the risk of neck injury, particularly among children,” Kelly Russel, MSc, and colleagues wrote in their study. “Our pooled results and the individual studies showed no significant association between helmet use and increased risk of neck injury.”
They added, “This is consistent with biomechanical data showing no increase in neck loads associated with helmet use in simulated snowboarding falls.”
For their study, the researchers analyzed 12 studies conducted in Europe, Asia and North America and found that helmet use in recreational activities is beneficial. However, Russel and her colleagues were unable to determine the design, quality or fit of the helmets involved in the studies.
A pooled analysis showed that helmet use reduced the risk of head injury by 35% in this population and that between two and five of every 10 head injuries among people already using helmets could be prevented.
The pooled odds-ratio of the 12 studies reviewed showed that skiers and snowboarders who wore helmets were significantly less likely than those without a helmet to have a head injury. The researchers found similar results for studies that used controls without an injury, those that used controls with an injury other than a head or neck injury and those that included children younger who were younger than 13 years.
They also found that men, as well as lower-ability level skiers and snowboarders, experienced a greater protective effect from helmet use. However, the researchers found that this was not statistically significant.
The authors noted that the use of helmets may actually provide wearers with a “false sense of security” and could lead to other bodily injuries from increased risk-taking. A review of numerous studies by the researchers showed mixed results — some authors insisted that increased risk-taking was prevalent among helmet wearers, while others found helmet users were a more cautious group.
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