Head protection in competitions?

[slcbelle]

Has anyone ever seen a skater wear head protection during a competition?  Just curious.  If I ever compete, I'm wearing my Ribcap.  Fo' shizzle.

[hopskipjump]

Never.  I do see the same skaters who never fail to wear it in practice - they never wear it in a competition. This is including the adults who wear it to every freestyle session.

[Skittl1321]

I have never seen someone where any sort of protective gear in competition. The most I've ever seen is people with their knees wrapped due to injury.

What is important to note is that you are NOT an elite skater.  What is the norm is not what is important.  At your (and my) level of skating, participation is the most important thing.  If what it takes to get you out there on the ice and competing is head protection- just wear it!  Don't worry about what other people think.

The only time I know of an elite (junior level) skater wearing a helmet in (admittedly not major) competition is this one: http://www.usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=36147
The helmet may have saved her life, since even with it after a bad fall on the warm up they had to withdraw from the competition.    

If you feel you need head protection to get out there, wear it.  Just get out there!

[jjane45]

Pretty sure I read about an elite female pairs skater wearing helmet after a serious injury. And the helmet saved her life from another accident. Can't seem to find the article now...

[slcbelle]

I find it baffling that the figure skating community/authorities haven't embraced head protection.  In the world of skiing and snowboarding, helmets are now the norm.  Those that don't wear them are either seriously old school and stuck in their ways or really young and think they are invincible.  I'm a ski instructor and even our PSIA clincians and test leaders at the highest levels wear helmets.  It's interesting that, after all of these years, head protection hasn't even crept into the scene.

[jjane45]

Button: No helmets for figure skaters

"You don't get these people pulling together costumes and music and choreography and presentation ... and then expect these girls to go out there and wear a helmet," he said during a Tuesday teleconference.

And this came from someone who suffered a serious concussion himself...

[hopskipjump]

I wouldn't say head protection hasn't crept into the scene - some skaters at freestyle wear ice halos.  Little kids wear helmets.  When she started years ago, I didn't see either.

Part of it is that skating is sport + artistry.  You would need it to be a requirement before it becomes the "norm".

[Hanca]

I got myself concussion too several years ago. I was skating only about a year and I was learning forward crossovers. Not sure how it happened - my technique on crossovers is now completely different and I don't think it could happen with my current technique.

Saying that, I wouldn't want wearing helmet to be compulsory. It should be a person's choice, but in my opinion, the level of my risk (in my opinion) is not such to justify the need for the helmet. I do fall much more frequently in the winter on a slippery pavement. Where do we draw the line, should be all wear the helmets compulsory every day when we go out in the winter?

[Sk8tmum]

Skate Canada requires hockey helmets in Canskate until the end of Stage 5 - for adults and kids alike - for lessons and competitions both, including synchro practices and competitions.  No bike, ski, etc - CSA approved hockey helmets. 

[VAsk8r]

I know a lot of adult skaters who wear helmets to practice, but none in competition.

I used to be a bit anti-helmet, even for little kids. Then I fell and smacked my forehead on the ice and took 17 stitches just above my left eyebrow. I have a two-inch scar now to show to the parents who think they can just plop the ill-fitting rink helmets with broken straps on their kids' heads.

I also fell another time and hit my head again and got whiplash. I'm not in favor of mandatory helmets, but I'd probably be a much better skater if I wore one. After 17 stitches and whiplash, you get a little more reluctant to take risks.

[slcbelle]

Saying that, I wouldn't want wearing helmet to be compulsory.

I said nothing about compulsory. I deplore regulations like that in any form.  People should have the right to protect themselves (seatbelts, helmets) or not.  I just find it interesting that the choice to wear protection in competitions is frowned upon or just not accepted.

[AgnesNitt]

Figure skating is not the only sport in which helmets in competition is frowned upon. For many years after safety helmets were introduced into riding, they were frowned on in high level shows as being too bulky. School shows everyone wore them, but at some point as you went up the levels in riding, you were expected to wear a soft helmet because it gave a better line.
As far as I know dressage competitors still don't wear helmets, just the top hat.

My opinion is that helmets in practice, especially when learning new stuff, is fine. But I can see the rationale, that if you are an elite competitive skater, you should be good enough that you can compete without one. If something is so dangerous that it  requires a helmet even in competition, then it should be banned (like the detroiter).

[jjane45]

I just find it interesting that the choice to wear protection in competitions is frowned upon or just not accepted.

Tremendous peer pressure, yes. But I doubt any competition, local or international, would explicitly ban the use of helmets.

[turnip]

I don't think there's a rule against it. I'm sure there would be mutterings from certain types of people, but in an adult competition, people are generally nicer than that anyway (in my experience at least!). It might even give someone else the confidence boost to wear something!

[loyal2uil]

At ISI synchro championships this year I saw two girls skate with helmets so while it is unusual, it was definitely allowed.

[Orianna2000]

I'm not competing yet, but I am seriously considering getting an Ice Halo to wear during practice and lessons. I don't have the best balance and anytime I hit a rut or bump on the ice, whoopsie daisy! I think wearing something like the Ice Halo would give me more confidence and lower my anxiety about skating. But then there's the fact that "real" skaters don't wear head protection. I fear they would laugh at me. But then I think--better to be made fun of than to get a serious concussion if I fell, right? But even my husband thinks the Ice Halo looks "dorky" . . .  so that doesn't help.

I think if they were made mandatory, or were at least more common, especially during competitions, I would feel a lot better about wearing one. Peer pressure is a powerful force.

[hopskipjump]

I have no idea if this product really works, but... http://www.forcefieldheadbands.com/headband.html  it's less bulky than the ice halo.

[slcbelle]

But then there's the fact that "real" skaters don't wear head protection. I fear they would laugh at me. But then I think--better to be made fun of than to get a serious concussion if I fell, right? But even my husband thinks the Ice Halo looks "dorky" . . .  so that doesn't help.

I don't trust that those halos and headband would cover the part of my skull that (G-d forbid) makes contact with the ice in a fall.  There's too much left exposed.  I fell attempting a Mazurka 2 months ago and landed first on my sacrum and then on the back of the head.  My head was fine.  My butt hurt for a couple of weeks!  (I've since bought the UltraCrash tailbone pad.)

I'm going to have to just buck the system and wear my Ribcap.  Peer pressure doesn't bother me.  A head injury, on the other hand, most definitely would bother me.

[sarahspins]

I'm going to have to just buck the system and wear my Ribcap.  Peer pressure doesn't bother me.  A head injury, on the other hand, most definitely would bother me.

I think it just comes down to comfort level.. if you aren't comfortable on the ice without it and want to wear your head protection, then wear it... there is no rule saying that you can't, and I wouldn't worry about too much about what people think - the ribcap is cute enough that I think it would be easy to dress it up for a competition.

[hopskipjump]

"I think it just comes down to comfort level.. if you aren't comfortable on the ice without it and want to wear your head protection, then wear it... there is no rule saying that you can't, and I wouldn't worry about too much about what people think - the ribcap is cute enough that I think it would be easy to dress it up for a competition."

ITA!!!

[Orianna2000]

I've never seen the Ribcap before. Their site is mainly in another language, but I can see that they have a few different styles. It's not as "dorky" as the Halo and while I might get a few odd looks, I doubt anyone would say anything mean about it. The biggest problem would be overheating. Sometimes I wear a winter headband when I first start skating, but I usually need to remove it after I've warmed up.

I take it back. The biggest problem is the cost! I just punched the price into a currency converter and it comes out at $124. I know, that's nothing compared to what I just plunked down for my custom Harlicks, or what it would cost for an ER visit, but still . . . yikes.

[AgnesNitt]

I have no idea if this product really works, but... http://www.forcefieldheadbands.com/headband.html  it's less bulky than the ice halo.

I bought one. It will give you no help at all in a skating fall. It's for bouncing soccer balls of your head--and I don't think it's at all good for that.
Don't waste your money.

[emitche]

I use a multisport (skateboarding) helmet. I've only had one comment from another adult skater asking why I had it on.

Maybe 6 months ago, I was thinking about head protection. Then I fell and got whiplash because of ill fitting skates. After that I finally bought a helmet.

I really think it is a personal preference. My head is important to me and I think falling and hitting it is likely given that I'm on skates and am learning new skills. I've fallen at least one other time and have hit my head and I'm very thankful that I had my helmet.

Skittl and jjane, you two are referring to the same person I think.

I don't think wearing a helmet needs to be required. But I wish wearing a helmet could be a normal thing and not something that is shunned or associated with being less of a skater.

[slcbelle]

"I think it just comes down to comfort level.. if you aren't comfortable on the ice without it and want to wear your head protection, then wear it... there is no rule saying that you can't, and I wouldn't worry about too much about what people think - the ribcap is cute enough that I think it would be easy to dress it up for a competition."

ITA!!!

YES!  I could put a big sparkly pin or applique on the side and make it look like a 1920s cloche! Nice one.  Maybe my ice persona is "flapper girl".

[jjane45]

Skittl and jjane, you two are referring to the same person I think.

Oh thanks for pointing it out, I somehow missed the article Skittl quoted. Yes definitely looks like the same person, with more details and photos. The helmet she used could be more aesthetically pleasing to match her costume better though!

I wore snowboard helmet for several months before switching to a padded hat. And when I showed up in a kids' power class with helmet and rollerblading pads, everyone had a shocked look and a skating coach specifically asked if I was a speed skater... So yeah, it's like putting ketchup into Chicago style hot dog, something people looked down at and I never comprehended.