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Helmets
a Good Idea for Winter Sports
Dashing through the snow in a one-horse
open sleigh can be downright dangerous.
So can skiing, skating or tobogganing.
Every year, thousands get seriously hurt while playing winter
sports, and many of those injuries are to the head.
In children, more than half of
all winter sports injuries are head injuries, according to the
National Pediatric Trauma Registry (NPTR). And the Consumer Product
Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that almost 20,000 people receive
head injuries every year while skiing.
So what's the best way to protect
your noggin while you toboggan? A helmet.
The NPTR says none of the children
who were treated for a head injury that occurred while sledding,
skiing or ice skating were wearing helmets. Moreover, only about
10 percent of kids who got injured playing hockey were wearing
the protective headgear.
The CPSC predicts that 7,700 head
injuries could be prevented or reduced in in severity and 11 deaths
could be prevented annually if people wore helmets while skiing
and snowboarding.
Here are some other ideas from
the NPTR to reduce head injuries while enjoying winter sports:
- Don't sled head first.
- Make sure children are big enough
to hold on to moving sleds or tubes.
- Follow posted rules on the ski
slope and choose trails that match your skill level.
- Avoid areas with rocks, trees
or other hazards.
- Learn how to adjust your speed
properly -- and teach your children to do the same.
More information
The Consumer Product Safety Commission
offers these tips
on staying safe during winter sports.
Reference
Source 101
For more information on how to prevent other diseases, use
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