The Ski Helmet Debate

Once saw two 15ft icicles fall from the the roof of a bank, reckon they would do some damage if they hit you on the sweede. irony of the situation was a sign informing customers to remove helmets before entering the bank.

Finn

I reckon these could kill!

I started skiing rather late in life and have been skiing for the last five years. Previously, I had been medically retired due to a serious back injury that required surgery and therefore learning to ski did not come naturally at the age of 48. Since starting skiing, I have been on 7 trips. I perservered and am happy to class myself as an improving intermediate. I took a heavy fall in Hochgurgl in December when my ski caught an edge in poor light conditions. Normally you can prepare for a fall and take defensive action to protect you from injury however, this was not the case. The first thing I felt was a massive impact of my shoulder hitting the piste. As a former Paramedic i thought that I had fractured my clavicle and several ribs. Fortunately I had just suffered a rota cuff injury which healed by the time I went to Italy in February this year. Following this incident I thought that had my head hit the piste with such force I would have been knocked unconscious without a doubt and may have suffered more serious internal head injuries.

Prior to my skiing trip to Italy this February I puchased a helmet. It is, without a doubt, one of the best things i have done since starting my skiing career. It is comfortable, warm and I did not have to adjust my beanie after every run! I feel safer and feel I have minimised the risk to some degree. Also on the plus side, it is now becoming fashionable to wear a helmet. I also feel it has benefited my skiing as it has given me more confidence (not over confidence) in my approach.

It is for the individual to decide what is best for them however, ski deaths occur even if you wear protective equipment and a helmet. I was reading about an American women who was killed in Telluride, I think in January 2010. She was heli-skiing with a guide and somehow got her ski helmet lodged between two rocks in a mountain stream. Despite the efforts of the guide to free her she subsequently drowned! In sum, my view is ski safely abide by the local rules for the area and minimise the risk/s. Keep safe people!

AlistairS wrote:Also on the plus side, it is now becoming fashionable to wear a helmet.

Is that just because you have got one now?

Alistair - I dont think I would advertise the fact that I'd been medically retired with a serious back injury prior to embarking on a ski-ing career.

Lets hope your ex-employer or the DSS are not monitoring this site

AlistairS wrote:
I was reading about an American women who was killed in Telluride, I think in January 2010. She was heli-skiing with a guide and somehow got her ski helmet lodged between two rocks in a mountain stream. Despite the efforts of the guide to free her she subsequently drowned!

That's maybe one of the freakiest accidents I have heard about

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/18/heliskier-killed-near-tel_n_427110.html

In twenty five years of white water kayaking, I hadn't heard of this type of entrapment, and I've done a lot of swift water rescue stuff. We all wear helmets on whitewater, and that this should happen to a skier is mind blowing.

EDIT: turns out she was actually a snowboarder, though that makes no difference to how freaky this accident was.

Trencher

Tony H - I refer you to read the content of the message! At my age, fashion is not my priority but reducing risk/s is. I ski with a group of upto thirty. I was one of two that were wearing helmets during our last trip. Within this group it is definitely not seen as fashionable however, I think some have been converted and I look forward to the next trip and the head count.

Brucie - I have been back in gainful employment for many years, albeit in a less physical role. My ex-employers make/break the rules. They could have re-employed me (suitable alternative employment) but chose not to. In fact, it was through their negligence I suffered the injury and this was dealt with. I am offically 18% disabled but why should I let that get in the way of wanting to live my life to the full!

Trencher - Thanks for finding the case. It is a most unlucky ending for that poor women.

Now that this helmet debate is drawing to a close is it a good time to start the GUMSHEILD debate