Brain Injury Prevention – A New Year’s Resolution You’ll Want to Make and Keep!

Did you know injuries are the leading cause of death in Canada and the United States for those age 1 – 44?

Fact: Brain injury is the greatest killer under the age of 45, the greatest disabler under the age of 44 and kills more children under the age of 20 than all other causes combined.

With the holidays now a distant memory, I know you may now looking at how you can make the most of the remaining months of winter. For some, this may mean booking a flight to a warm destination while for others, it may mean hitting the ski slopes.

Living just a short drive from some of the best skiing in the world, I know just how much of a draw factor skiing can be for many.

Whether it’s the idea of being in nature and breathing the fresh mountain air, the excitement of testing your endurance by tackling some of the toughest runs, or the fun of having a weekend ski getaway with family and/or friends, the calling is often too strong to resist.

Even if you aren’t a fan of skiing you likely have close friends and family members who do enjoy this sport and make it a point to get out as often as possible.

In Canada, Nova Scotia is the only province with legislation making it mandatory for all skiers and snowboarders to wear helmets. This was introduced November 2012 and at that time it was believed to be the first of its kind in the world. There is currently no similar helmet legislation in the United States.

A main driver behind introducing this legislation was the fact that head injuries are the leading cause of death among skiers of all ages.

This is still true today. Each severe brain injury costs our medical system over $400,000 at the time of the injury and this amount can increase up to $8,000,000 if the individual will require long term care for the remainder of her/his life.

Knowing this, I feel the case for wearing a helmet is quite clear regardless if it’s mandatory or not.

These statistics speak for themselves:

• 60% of head injuries resulting from skiing and snowboarding could be prevented with helmets.

• While the Canadian Ski Council conducted a survey in 2012 that showed over 80% of skiers and snowboarders regularly wore helmet, there is room for improvement.

• Children and youth account for 67% of all ski related deaths with males being at a higher risk for more severe injury than females.

• Among young skiers, 40% – 50% of injuries occur among beginners, often on the first day of skiing.

• The Canadian Institute for Health Information states in 2010 – 2011 there were 2,329 hospital admissions for a skiing or snowboarding crash compared with 1,114 hockey related hospitalizations.

Here are a few tips on how you can play it safe while hitting the slopes this year by wearing a helmet:

• When shopping for a ski helmet, be sure to speak to a qualified salesperson to ensure it meets the highest standards and is the right fit.

• Remember helmets are not universal! A cycling or skateboarding helmet will not give you the same level of protection as a ski helmet.

• Set rules when skiing with children and youth, no helmet = no skiing.

• Wearing a helmet doesn’t give you a carte blanche for taking increased risks on the mountain such as travelling out of bounds or skiing at an unusual high speed on challenging runs. You still need to mange your risks accordingly or simply ski with the mindset that you aren’t wearing a helmet.

• Replace your helmet with a new one if it’s been dropped or you have been involved in a fall or collision, even if it may appear undamaged.

Additional safety tips on winter sports, information on helmets and how you can prevent a brain injury can be found at Parachute Canada or in the resources page of my website.

Let 2015 be a year of safe skiing for everyone!

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