Wear a Ski Helmet?

Ski helmets may increase the risk of neck injury, especially for children, according to the analysis of accident reports on ski hills in Quebec.

The study, by Brent Hagel and four colleagues from Edmonton and Montreal, was published on Friday in the British Medical Journal.

Hagel is an assistant professor at the University of Alberta's Centre for Injury Control and Research.

Helmets can exert large bending or twisting forces on the neck when a skier falls, the study found. This is a particular concern for children because their heads are larger than those of adults in relation to the rest of their bodies.

Little research had been done before on the use of ski helmets.