Using protection when skiing?

Daily News (Dagens Nyheter 2013-02-23) brings our attention once again on the importance of protection on the winter slopes. This time they have asked people, on the slopes, directly. Four out of ten snowboarders and skiers, do not care about protections. Compared to some years ago, that is a rather good figure. This also shows in fewer serious head- and back injuries (see previous blog post …)

The question is how do those who still don’t use protection when skiing, reason. What makes them not use any protection? Is it because protections cost too much? Is it because protections are uncomfortable? Or just because of old habits?

”You have to be watchfull and check the slope before you start, to make it a safer ride. Why I don’t wear a helmet? I haven’t injured myself during the whole time I have skied”

”I take it easy when I ski now. I might need a helmet, but when I skied earlier I didn’t so I won’t use one now”

The answers from the interviews in the article show that old habits win, and that if you haven’t been injured earlier, you won’t in the future. A resoning that is valid only untill the day when the accident is evident.

What is important to know, is that accidents seldom are caused by one person or the way you ski or how watchfull you are and take it easy or not. It is rather about small margins of error and unfortunate situations. A crash into someone that suddenly came out of the grove, someone that suddenly falls in front of you, someone standing still that suddenly emerges from behind the curve, a hidden rock or an icy spot.

”Most of those who come to us, didn’t have controle” says Alf Lerner, doctor and director of the medical center in Åre

To have controle you must have a tremendous self-awareness and be able to realise all the risk factors. För att ha kontroll måste man ha otrolig självinsikt och inse alla olika riskfaktorer som finns. You should also consider your daily fitness, good sleep, good food etc. Dehydration can also worsen your concentration ability and makes it easier to loose controle.

You should be prepared, an accident could happen. And that is why protections are so important. In a serious accident, a helmet can see to that you get away with a concussion instead of a cracked skull and a back protector can see to that you get away with stretching and bruising instead of a serious fracture of your spine.

Helmet and back protector is a good investment

The Swedish newspaper Dayly news (Dagens Nyheter, DN) wrote last week (2013-02-09) a good article on protective equipment for skiiers and snowboarders. In the article Alf Lerner, a doctor and director of the medical center Åre (Åre is one of Sweden's most visited and popular Skidby in northern Sweden), described his experiences how the injury situation have changed since people began to use protective equipment.

- If you want to come home from the mountains with all body parts intact, a helmet, a back protector and wrist protectors are a good investment. Says Alf.

Every year there are about 10 000 seriously injured skiers in Sweden. With the increased use of helmets, back protector and wrist protectors the last years has  made a big difference.

- The number of injuries has not decreased, but we find that many injuries are significantly lighter thanks to the protectors. In particular, the number of serious concussions and back injuries has decreased. Those who do not have protection, the uglier fractures than those using protection. Says Alf.

At the health center where Alf works in Are they receive 2,000 injured skiers each winter season. Alf recommends that all skiers should at least have a proper helmet. But a back protector should also belong to the basic equipment, according to him. says Alf.

- Back protector does not protect against the compression you can get if you land hard and the spine is compressed, but it can protect against spinal fractures if you get a hit - if you land on your back, or collide with something or collide with another skiier. - Alf Lerner

At KORI, we have talked a lot with skiers and the difference between skiing and motorcycling is  mainly that skiers requires much more movement than motorcyclists, one reason that the previous hard plastic protectors and even the stiff 'soft' protectors have not managed to break through completely. That is why we are incredibly excited to work with D3O that has the most superior protective material. When one tries a KORI protection with d3o the reactions is - it's even comfortable.

That is what is important - the protection should ”even be able to be comfortable”. And why not practical too :-)

After what we have been notices, we have already saved aback of a user who otherwise would not have used a back protector because he did not feel comfortable with the previous ones... We look forward to saving more.