Snowsport Helmets Do Little to Prevent Traumatic Brain Injury

I started wearing a helmet when skiing in the early 2000s just as they were becoming more common. I mostly started wearing one in order to protect my head in the event of a collision with another skier in the ski area or with a tree while skiing off the groomers. While skiing in the backcountry I generally don’t wear a helmet as I don’t like to carry it up with me and I figure my risks of running into someone are pretty much nil and I generally ski through the trees cautiously.
 
A study recently published in the journal Wilderness & Environmental Medicine shows that the use of helmets in snow sports reduces head injuries but does not prevent traumatic brain injuries such as concussions. In fact the use of helmets has no significant impact on preventing traumatic brain injuries at all. I’ll still wear a helmet while skiing in bounds but it may be time to start investigating some of the MIPS ski helmets on the market.

You can read more of the summary of the study here: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180614213630.htm