Speaking of helmets...

[sleddog]

After reading the collision post I thought I'd chime in about the necessity of helmets. One of our instructors was taking a free run and realized that he and another skier who was slightly ahead of him had turned into each other and that he was going to clip the tails of the downhill skier - so he made a sudden move uphill to avoid the collision, double toe released from his bindings and landed on his helmeted head. He broke his glasses, scuffed his face, and later while having a short indoor session at the end of the ski clinic, fell asleep, didn't remember a thing about the last two weeks when we woke him up and started babbling the same things over and over. Needless to say he got the 2nd most expensive ride to the nearest hospital (the most expensive being a medical helicopter), after a series of tests he was transported again by ambulance to a L1 Trauma hospitl for a neuro consult.

Fortunately his brain bleed was short lived and already showing signs of being reabsorbed the next day, so he didn't need surgery, but he is done skiing until about the 3rd week in January. His helmet probably saved him from a much more serious injury. He's already ordered his new helmet in anticipation of when he will get the go ahead to begin activities again. - All this in an early season where we've gotten quite a bit of snow every other day this week, so our little hill in WI is almost fully open.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Very scary story. SOOO glad he's going to be okay. As I said prior, if it's needed but once.....that one time could be a life-saver. It matters now how high the hills -- I personally started my skiing days on small WI hills (and had a blast), and fellow member num is now doing the same - Happy Trails, what is your "home" area?

EVERYONE, PLEASE - as a mom who's kid has had a very, very serious head injury (NOT skiing-related), GET A HELMET. GET A HELMET. GET A HELMET.

 

[sleddog]

I'm at Sunburst in Kewaskum, WI

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I'm at Sunburst in Kewaskum, WI

Ah, one of the few I haven't done -- that and Little Switzerland. I've even managed a few that are no longer: Majestic (Lake Geneva), Wintergreen (Spring Green). I'm now reading about this wild place in called Mount Bohemia - up by Copper Harbor. Wow, this place looks way interesting Also, Porcupine Mountains now has a snowcat operation! Do you get up to any of these spots? If you do, please post a TR! They sound pretty cool

 

[num]

Thanks for sharing, sleddog. Wishing a full and speedy recovery for him. Thank god he was wearing a helmet. Late January is a earlier than I would've guessed, that's great. I bet this early season snow is killing him, but also giving him a huge incentive to stay positive through recovery!

MaineSkiLady, Little Switz closed down. 06/07 was their last season :(

 

[SkiNurse]

This is a copy of a post from Skiing magazine that I put on another forum.

WEAR THE DAMN THING
by Dr. Rick Bortz, physician @ 7 Mile Clinic in Winter Park

Wearing a helmet while skiing is like bringing a condom on a date with Paris Hilton. Seriously, why wouldn't you?

I've worked as the doctor at a large Colorado ski area for the past 12 years, and I can tell you that severe head injries are a major bummer for both me (I've got to try to keep you alive) and, of course, you, the patient. For starters, the ski aptrol may shove rubber tubes in you nostrils to keep your airway open. When you get to me, if I think your brain injury is bad enough, you'll get two IVs and medicine to paralyze you so I can shove a breathing tube through your vocal chords. If, I think your brain is swelling, I'll give you a drug to treat it, which, ultimately, requires that I shove a tube up you penis or just above your vagina so I can monitor your urine output. Then you're off to Denver for a neurosurgery evaluation and scanning. They may even have to drill a hole in your skull. None of this is particularly cheap-or fun.

Sure, there are iother ways to kill yourself skiing, usually from bleeding to death due to internal injury. But, in my experience, head injuries are by far the most popular method.

Dr. Stuart Levy, a Denver-based neurossurgeon who sees many of our head injuries-and definitely doesn't need more work-agrees.l In a paper he published in the September 2002 "Journal of Trauma", Dr. Levy writes that his facility saw 1,214 patients admitted for all types of injuries related to skiing and snowboardiing from 1982-1998. sixteen of the 1,214 patients died and head injury was the cause of deathe in 14 of them. That's 88 percent. So, don't tell me that helmets do nothing to prevent spinal or internal inhuries that could also results in fatalities. It's the head injuries that kill. Furthermore, there's no study to suggest an increse in neck injuries in those who wear helmets.

So please do yourself a favor and wear a helmet. I'd rather not put a tube in your penis

 

[IntheClouds]

Just reading this. That was interesting motivation the Dr. used. Anyhow, wish he would have commented on the number of head injuries w/helmets vs. bare head. Just a curiosity thing..

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Just reading this. That was interesting motivation the Dr. used. Anyhow, wish he would have commented on the number of head injuries w/helmets vs. bare head. Just a curiosity thing..

Will try to hunt up some stats on this. I think the non-helmet-wearing skiers are on the short end of this argument. This is like the age-old and tired motorcycle helmet law controversy. Decades ago, it was all the tumult over seatbelts ("my car, my choice!"). Bottom line: is it that hard to buckle up? Know anyone who doesn't? Will it restrict you in the case of an accident, or injure you? Statistically, risk is way low. Motorcyle helmets: no argument there with regard to head injury prevention, but it is still a choice in many states.

Bottom line on ski/ride helmets: they are warm and offer a degree of protection. Be-all/end-all? Probably not. But there's the old saying about an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure....And most helmets cost about the same as a pair of high-tech gloves. Cheap insurance, IMHO.

 

[liquidfeet]

Bottom line on ski/ride helmets: they are warm and offer a degree of protection.

The best way I've convinced resistant skiers to wear a helmet is to focus on how warm it is. That has worked twice. The ends justify the means, in this case.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Exactly. I think my personal "tally" is up to 4 -- all incredibly good skiers as well - better than I am. With the proliferation of manufacturers now on this bandwagon, the advancement of lightweight materials (wow, newer ones are like FEATHERS), abundant deals, excellent venting (the old "my head sweats too much" argument doesn't do it anymore), what could possibly be the excuse, especially in the high density, often very-cold ski resorts of New England?? There aren't any. I'd ski without poles in a heartbeat instead of w/o helmet. Okay, off the soapbox...

 

[jaydog]

I can't give a doctor's perspective but I can give a patroller's perspective: I've seen injuries that would have been prevented had the skier/boarder been wearing a helmet, I've seen folks come into the patrol building slightly injured and blessing their helmets, and I've never ever seen anyone who was harmed by wearing a helmet.

Oh yeah, and you can put lots of cool stickers on your helmet!

 

[Native Vail Gal]

Dr. Stuart Levy, a Denver-based neurossurgeon who sees many of our head injuries-and definitely doesn't need more work-agrees.l In a paper he published in the September 2002 "Journal of Trauma", Dr. Levy writes that his facility saw 1,214 patients admitted for all types of injuries related to skiing and snowboardiing from 1982-1998. sixteen of the 1,214 patients died and head injury was the cause of deathe in 14 of them. That's 88 percent. So, don't tell me that helmets do nothing to prevent spinal or internal inhuries that could also results in fatalities. It's the head injuries that kill. Furthermore, there's no study to suggest an increse in neck injuries in those who wear helmets.

As one who can attest....this is a PHENOMENAL neurosurgeon.

I get teary reading this whole thread, so I will just close by saying, if you NEVER do anything else, ski and/or board with a helmet. Most of you know that this is an extremely PASSIONATE topic for me.....

Thank you for reminding us of this importance.

 

[Pequenita]

The best way I've convinced resistant skiers to wear a helmet is to focus on how warm it is. That has worked twice. The ends justify the means, in this case.

Definitely warm. Unless you forgot that you left the vents open, like me, and it starts snowing and you wonder why on earth you're so flippin' cold. I caught on after a while....

 

[Bravosarah]

I'd like to chime in and add that we should all wear helmets in any sport that helmets are made for. Skiing, snowboarding, bicycling, roller blading, snowmobiling and of course on a motorcycle - streetbike or dirtbike wear a helmet.

Years ago, I had a motorcycle accident on one of Toronto's 'Superhighways' and because of a little luck, a lot of leather and a fullface helmet I walked away.

 

[IntheClouds]

I'd like to chime in and add that we should all wear helmets in any sport that helmets are made for. Skiing, snowboarding, bicycling, roller blading, snowmobiling and of course on a motorcycle - streetbike or dirtbike wear a helmet.

Years ago, I had a motorcycle accident on one of Toronto's 'Superhighways' and because of a little luck, a lot of leather and a fullface helmet I walked away.

Bravosarah is absolutely right ! You tend to live to tell the tale when you were wearing the protective gear to save you.

I too had a proper helmet save me once. I used to have a habit of walking a horse out to the arena, placing my helmet on a jump standard, mounting & riding off. Would put the helmet on when it was time for jump training. For some unknown reason one day I had put my riding helmet on. Walked a horse out to the arena, the horse flipped out,turned, reared up & his iron shod hoof came down on my head. Tore the material off the helmet, did structural damage, but I was just fine. From that day forward I put my (new) helmet on before I put the saddle on the horse. Those helmets have saved me once or twice more over the years when horses have taken a fall, hence taking me down with them.

 

[roverdoc]

Get one and WEAR it!

I too am a physician in ski country, and though my office is not at the base of the mountain, my colleagues and I see a number of snowsport and bicycling accidents. Get a helmet and wear it EVERY TIME YOU BIKE/BOARD/SKI. They're inexpensive; they're warm; they're "in". Lame excuses from the non-helmeted are "I don't ski fast/trees/bumps/out of control." Parents--your brains are just as squishable as your child's; why put a helmet on their head and not on yours? Speed and skill aren't the only factors here and like your mother said, accidents happen. Cross a tip, get hit or cut off by another skier/boarder and you too may be in the trees, colliding with someone, or smacking your head on the ice. The people who die or sustain severe damage from head trauma at the resorts in our county are not all beginners and kids. But most (though not all) weren't wearing a helmet. Our local paper reports helmet use just like it reports seatbelt use in fatal accidents. Need info to help convert someone? Here are a few easy references. Cheers to all the divas out there!

https://www.cpsc.gov/library/skihelm.pdf
https://www.aaos.org/about/papers/position/1152.asp
https://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/295/8/919

 

[abc]

Bottom line on ski/ride helmets: they are warm and offer a degree of protection.

I'm definitely in the camp of "warm and a degree of protection"! A lot of warm, that is.

I don't recall ever land on my head of all my numereous falls. So I'm not one who care about the protection part that much. On the other hand, a helmet is a whole lot warmer than a hat! Warmth is a big deal for us skiing in the icy northeast. So I've been looking at them ever since the boarders started showing up with them on the slope. But then, I quit skiing right about that time...

Now that I finally got one, I really like it. I skied through the storm at Stowe and not felt cold at all. That wouldn't have been the case in the past, without helmet.

 

[IntheClouds]

Hey roverdoc , welcome ! Thanks for posting the links. You can't prevent everything, but there are simple measures that are easy to take to reduce severity of injuries when those accidents happen.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Thank you for these links!

On behalf of those of us who have either experienced head trauma or had family members or friends who endured TBI, many thanks for coming aboard and posting these links.

 

[roverdoc]

re: links

No worries. Looks like we're on a mission--pass 'em forward!