Helmet use is associated with higher Injury Severity Scores in alpine skiers and snowboarders evaluated at a Level I trauma center

BACKGROUND
There is uncertainty regarding the efficacy of ski helmets in preventing traumatic injury. We investigated the relationship between helmet use, injury types, and injury severity among skiers and snowboarders.
METHODS
The trauma registry at a Northeast American College of Surgeons Level I trauma center was queried by International Classification of Diseases Codes—9th or 10th Revision for skiing and snowboarding injury between 2010 and 2018. The primary exposure was helmet use and primary outcome was severe injury (Injury Severity Score>15). We performed univariate and multivariable logistic regression to assess for injury types and severity associated with helmet use.
RESULTS
Seven hundred twenty-one patients (65% helmeted, 35% unhelmeted) met inclusion criteria. Helmet use doubled during the study period (43% to 81%, p

Source: The Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection, and Critical Care - November 1, 2019 Category: Orthopaedics Tags: 2019 WTA PODIUM PAPERS Source Type: research