23rd December 2009

Keith Horton, Chief Executive of the National Ice Skating Association (NISA), has offered us a few tips about whether you should wear a helmet when ice skating:

“Ice skating is a fun and enjoyable pastime. But like most physically active hobbies, common sense and forward planning is important to ensure one’s time on the ice is enjoyable. Should parents wish their child to wear protective headgear, we advise them to bring a cycle helmet for their own protection. It’s important for families to feel safe and comfortable on the ice, as this will help their skating enjoyment.

“Extensive studies have been conducted to ascertain whether the provision of helmets would be an effective action to safeguard skaters and their health. The completed studies did not conclude that by making helmets compulsory would reduce injury, and in the official Ice Rink Managers Association Good Practice Guide, there is no mention of helmets.

“There are in fact strong arguments saying that ill-fitting helmets could be more dangerous than protective. Commonly, children do not securely fasten the chin straps, meaning the there is a real chance of choking. There are also hygiene issues to deal with, and the logistical difficulties that would accompany the correct fitting of say 150 helmets ahead of each session. It is also key to point out that should any helmet make contact with the ice or any other hard surface, the warranty and structural integrity of the unit will be called into question, and would need to be replaced. Sadly it would be impossible to have any way of knowing what helmets have been knocked in the preceding session. This of course would be a serious dilemma. Insurance companies also encourage rinks not to provide helmets.

“Over five million skaters safely take to the ice in the UK each year, and we always like to see new people coming into the sport. We take health and safety matters extremely seriously, and continually investigate ways to keep our sport safe and fun, but still highly accessible to all.”