Brain Injury Prevention and Helmets
Keep Your Head Covered
Millions of people sustain head injuries from accidents every year. This should be a concern for any dealing in brain injury prevention. Luckily we have the first line of defense called the skull which provides a protective layer of bone around the brain.
Because of our skulls, most of these injuries do not inflict serious harm to the brain. However, in more than half a million cases every year, the injury is severe enough that despite our skulls, it requires hospitalization and intensive treatment.
Most brain injury-causing accidents happen on the road due to vehicular collisions, at the workplace due to falling to objects falling on the head, and while playing sports due to collisions and falling.
These types of accidents may happen at any time despite all the planning and wishful thinking in the world, that’s why we call them accidents. The best bet for brain injury prevention in these circumstances is adding an extra layer of defense to your head.
Helmets are essential for minimizing the impact of head injuries. They absorb most of the impact energy during a fall or collision and prevent most damage to the head or brain. No matter what activity you are doing, chances are there is a helmet designed for that activity. The nature of collision is generally different for each kind of activity. So, safety helmets are designed according to the unique needs of each activity. The first thing about helmets, it is absolutely critical that you choose and use the right helmet for your activity.
Tips For Using Helmets
Here are some tips on using helmets:
- Always buy a new helmet. You should never buy a second-hand helmet for use as safety equipment – although it may look ok, you never know the helmet’s true condition or age.
- Ensure that the helmet fits properly on your head and should be both comfortable and snug. It should not be loose and tilted to any side. The chin strap should be able to be fastened securely so that the helmet does not fly away under the impact of a collision.
- When you are buying a helmet for a child, take him or her along with you to ensure that helmet fits properly on his or her head.
- Helmets are supposed to be regularly changed approximately every four years even if they have no obvious damage. This is particularly important for single-collision helmets like bicycle helmets where the foam element crushes after a single major impact rendering the helmet unsuitable for further use.
- Always consult the manufacturer’s instructions on the use, fitting, and replacement of the helmet, and never compromise with these instructions.
