As the winter months move into spring and summer, more and more of our countries youth will be outdoors participating in activities that require the use of a helmet. This year, experts are agreeing that no one helmet is good for all outdoor sports. The helmet chosen to protect youth from head injuries needs to be specifically created for the possible head trauma associated with that particular sport.
As the range of sports requiring the use of a helmet increases, so do the inventories of helmets a family may own. There is every possibility that a family will eventually own a helmet for bike riding, horseback riding, ice hockey, skateboarding, and lacrosse, to name a few. So, as the closets begin to fill with these protective pieces of headgear, the question abounds...Is there one helmet that can serve to function for all of these sports? According to experts in the field, the answer is a resounding, NO.
According to the studies used to create a helmet for a specific sport, each helmet provides an ample protection for the portion of the head most likely to be injured. A bicycle helmet, for instance, protects the front of the head with greater efficiency than a skateboard helmet which has been created to better protect the back of the head.
The severity of head trauma related to sports is a very real reality. Head trauma can cause bleeding in the brain, loss of consciousness, concussion, and even seizures. Helmets are lined with foam in the areas to prevent the possibility of severe injury and each one is designed with the majority of this protective foam covering the areas of the head most likely to injured.
Each year, at least 900 people are fatally injured due to bicycle related injuries. The majority of these are head injuries that could have been easily prevented by the use of an approved safety helmet, by upwards of 85%. These numbers remain unheeded, more than 40% of cyclists choose to go without a helmet each year.
One organization trying to decrease the chance of head injuries from sport related activities is Safe Kids USA. Safe Kids USA note that between the ages of 1 and 14, accidental injury is the leading cause of death. The goal of Safe Kids USA is aimed at preventing as many of these deaths from accidental injury as possible.
With advances in science and technology, the helmet industry is evolving. New and better helmets are being developed that will further decrease the risk of head injuries. These helmets will remain unique to each sport. Researchers and doctors agree that each sport or activity requiring a helmet requires the purchase of one that meets those specific safety guidelines.
The safety of both children and adults is poised on the choice of safety helmets, and while the parents may find themselves with entire sections of their storage space designated as the new helmet area, wearing a helmet specifically designed for a sport is the best way to prevent potential head trauma and injury effectively.
