Ridecamp: [RC] Helmets -- an old post #1

Still catching up on my Ridecamp digests and after reading several posts
on helmet usage (and lack of usage <g>), decided to dig up a response
regarding helmets that I wrote to Ridecamp a couple of years ago.  I
have purposely excluded the name of the person who wrote the comments
that I responded to - I'm not sure of her stance on the subject today
and don't want to influence any reactions toward this person at this
time.  My responses address a lot of the comments (excuses) made then
for not wearing a helmet.
 
Sue
 
 
> >1.     To what extent does increasing the size of your head change
the
risks
> >of neck injures?  Nobody knows.
 
The reason you sleep with a pillow is to get your head up at a better
Level with the rest of your body to ease misalignment of the spine.  One
of the things we are very careful about in surgery is positioning the
body to Prevent neurological problems and this oftentimes required a
couple of folded Towels under the head (when not using a regular pillow)
when the patient is on Their  back...even more when they're on their
side.  I measured the thickness of My husband's helmet (the only one in
the house right now) and it's about an inch thick.  I doubt very much
that this would increase the risk of head injury...if anything, it would
decrease the hyperextensions keep the head from going into further
misalignment in any direction.
 
> >
> >2. To what extent does increasing the size and weight of your head
> change
> >the chances of hitting your head at all?  Nobody knows.
 
I also weighed my husband's helmet on the kitchen dietary scale and it
weighs 13-14 oz.  Considering that this is spread around the whole head,
I don't think the amount of weight would be even the slightest bit
significant.  Remember, the head weighs about as much as a bowling ball
and a fourteen ounce foam layer around the ball would be hardly
noticeable.  Of course, you can go put on one of the old style helmets
that *are* heavier, but if you're concerned about weight, they wouldn't
be a good choice.  (Besides, a lot of the old ones Are not ASTM
certified.)
 
> >
> >3.     To what extent does protecting your skull from direct blows to
the
> head
>
> >change the effects of these blows on your brain (don't mistake your
brain
> for
> >your skull...and helmets are designed to protect skulls, not brains)?
> Nobody
> >knows.
 
This statement is totally false.  The helmets are designed to protect
the BRAINS!!!!!  The problem with head injuries is not when the skull
hits (skull injuries are rarely fatal unless they have uncontrolled
bleeding)...head injuries occur after the skull comes to a sudden stop
and the squishy, jello-like brains are continuing to travel at the speed
of descent.  They Come to a stop a short while later and, in the
process, squash the brain matter on the side that hits and pull the
brain away from the skull on the other side.  Subdural hemorrhage occurs
at this time...as the brain matter pulls away from the skull, it rips
holes in the blood vessels that aren't very stretchy.  When we open up
people's skulls after an injury like this, we more often than not open
the opposite side from the impact sight.  When a situation like this
occurs, you have a matter of minutes to get the skull opened, relieve
the pressure of the hematoma on the fragile brain, and stop the bleeding
before permanent damage starts to occur.  (A bad situation if you're not
within minutes of a hospital...and even if you are, we're talking
literally MINUTES, not
hours.)
 
Helmets are designed to absorb the impact so that the skull and the
brain tissue come to a halt **at the same time**!  This is why it's so
important to have a helmet checked if it's ever received a blow...you
may not be able to see any damage, but it may have lost it's ability to
absorb the energy of an impact.
 
> >
> >4.     What are the effects of strapping a narrow piece of
"unbreakable"
> nylon
>
> >snuggly (if it isn't snug you aren't wearing it right, and you are
reducing
> >the effectiveness of the helmet as a skull protector) around your
thorax?
> >Nobody knows.
> >
 
Little point of anatomy here...the thorax is another name of the chest.
And yes, strapping a helmet around the thorax would definitely reduce
it's effectiveness. ;-)  Seriously, why would you want something
breakable under your chin that wouldn't hold the helmet on??  And
again...the helmet is to protect the brains not the skull...and I
haven't heard of many problems of a person being choked to death by
their chin strap.
 
> >
> > I can't make a quantitative analysis of the risks associated with
wearing a
> > helmet v. the risks associated with not wearing them. Because the 
> > quantitative data simply don't exist (and never will).  Until it
does;
I'll
> > use my touchy-feely (or even gut instinct) analyses and other people
can
> use
> > theirs.  So don't give me this bullshit about cold, hard facts.  The

> > necessary cold, hard facts relevant to this issue don't exist-but
there
are
> > plenty of examples of situations where the latest "safety
technology"
was
> > found to be flawed and to bring with it as many risks as it was
intended
to
> > mitigate.
 
If you are interested in facts (and touchy-feely won't save your life),
join the AMEA (American Medical Equestrian Association)...you will get
lengthy reports mailed to you that contain volumes of qualitative data
on all aspects of equestrian injuries...with special emphasis on
statistics regarding helmet usage.  I can give you the info to sign up
if you like...the reading's a little dry, but very, very relevant.
 
> >
> > If helmets didn't have any disadvantages, we would wear them all the
time,
> > since sustaining a blow to the head is something that anybody could 
> > experience at any time.  Why don't you wear a helmet to bed?
>
>
> This part is too silly to even comment on!  Check out the AMEA.
>
> >
> > But soldiers in a fox hole wear their helmets to sleep since the 
> > risk profile for head injuries has changed (although in both
instances,
> > these chances are not quantifiable).
 
And I'd say that the risks of head injury from falling on your head onto
a hard surface from about 8' or higher, and often done at speed so add a
little momentum to your impact, would significantly increase your risk
of head injury...I'd say a bit more than lying in bed! ;-)
 
> >
> > p.s. It REALLY gives me the willies to see people who wear their
helmets
> > improperly (i.e. not how they were designed to be worn).  Because
these
> > people take on many of the risks of wearing one, while at the same
time
not
> > reaping the benefits of wearing them.
 
I'd like to know what the risks are of wearing a helmet that fits
correctly and is properly adjusted??  So far I haven't read one!
 
Any other questions I can answer???
 
 Sue
 
 
Sue Brown
Tyee Farm
Marysville, Wa.
suebrown1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
 



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