A new Norwegian study on the benefits of wearing a ski helmet has found that they are, without a doubt, beneficial. The study was done at 8 major Norewegian ski resorts durin gthe 2002 ski season. It surveyed 3,277 injured skiers and snowboarders, 578 of them with head inuries. Using a helmet was associated with a 60% reduction in risk for head injuries. As well, the risk for head injury was higher among snowboarders than for alpine skiers.

An earlier Canadian study of 19 ski areas in Quebec suggests that children wearing ski helmets may be at risk of neck injuries. Writing in the British Medical Journal, the study reports that helmets can exert a large bending or twisting force on the neck when a skier falls. This is of particular concern for children because their heads are larger than those of adults in relation to their bodies. The researchers base their findings on the injury reports of 1082 cases during the 2001-2002 ski season in Quebec.

The study was done by Brent Hagel and for four colleagues. Mr. Hagel is an assistant professor at the University of Alberta's Center for Injury Control and Research. " Wearing a helmet while skiing or snowboarding may reduce the risk of head injury by 29% to 56%—that is, for every 10 people who wear helmets, three to six may avoid head injuries." he says.

Mr, Hagel's report continues: " This may even be an underestimate if, as in cycling, the helmets were worn incorrectly or were in poor condition,10 or were not designed for skiing or snowboarding. The effect of helmet use on neck injuries is less clear. Although we found no statistically significant estimates for neck injury and no evidence of effect modification by age, our sensitivity analysis suggests an increased risk of neck injuries with helmet use."

During the 2004-2005 season icy ski conditions lead to a number of skiing deaths caused mostly by head injuries. The number of injuries occuring at Vermont mountains is kept confidential for obvious reasons, but a check with hospitals near ski areas indicates a high frequency of admissions with neck and head injuries during the ski season. Despite continuing cases of skier head injuries neither Vermont nor New Hampshire require skiers to wear helmets.