Snow Jocks: Use Your Head--Put On a Helmet!
Ah, Southern California, land of sand, sun and snow. That’s right, the cold wet stuff is a huge attraction for thousands from Orange County each winter. And January brings winter in earnest, when snowboarding and skiing become major weekend activities.
But here’s the downside: Somebody this week will get hurt on the slopes for doing something stupid. Like not wearing the proper equipment.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a warning that 16,000 people annually suffer serious head injuries from such winter sports. Sadly, nearly half could have been avoided, or the injuries kept minor, if a helmet had been used.
“Just as bicyclists do, skiers and snowboarders should get the helmet habit,” says Ann Brown, chairwoman of the consumer commission. “Simply strapping on a helmet before hitting the slopes can save your life.”
A commission study shows that skiers in Sweden who wore helmets suffered 50% fewer head injuries than those without helmets.
You risk injury not just from falls, but from collisions. Two well-known skiers were killed in Colorado last year when they collided on the slopes.
Snowboard injuries are a big concern too. The National Sporting Goods Assn. reports that snowboarding has doubled in popularity in the last five years, with nearly 3 million people now enjoying the sport.
Here’s a good tip from veteran snowboarder Ryan Callahan, who works at the P.F. McMullin Co. ski and snowboard store in Santa Ana: “Take lessons before you snowboard. It’s easier to adapt to than skiing, but the first day can be brutal.”
Almost all ski resorts offer instruction. Lessons at the Snow Summit resort at Big Bear Lake, for example, range from $39 to $59 for four hours. Any instructor, Callahan said, will emphasize two safety features: helmets and wrist guards.
“Wrist injuries are the most common injury on snowboards,” he said.
Here are a few more safety tips for the snow slopes put out by the Consumer Product Safety Commission:
* Make sure items such as bindings and boots are adjusted to fit properly.
* Don’t try to ski or snowboard beyond your ability.
* Follow the rules of the slopes.
* Never ski or snowboard alone. Make sure someone is there to help you if you get hurt.
* Get in shape before you hit the slopes.
* Wear warm, close-fitting clothing. Loose clothing can become entangled in lifts, tow ropes and ski poles.
* Wearing a helmet isn’t enough. It has to be one that’s specifically designed for this activity.
So if everybody knows that wearing a helmet makes skiing or snowboarding safer, they why doesn’t everybody do it?
“Some people just don’t like them,” Callahan said. “They’re willing to take the risk.”
Here’s a terrific tip put out by the National Ski Patrol, a support group for the industry: Drink plenty of water, to prevent dehydration. But drink no alcohol.
“Skiing and snowboarding do not mix well with alcohol or drugs,” it states.
Before you take up skiing or snowboarding as a new sport, you might call the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s toll-free number--(800) 638-2772--for complete safety advice. It’s not really that much fun to sit at the lodge with a busted wing while your friends are on the slopes.
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Readers may reach Hicks by calling (714) 564-1049 or e-mail to