No Helmets in Figure Skating?

IsKAtEFaSt · Feb 28, 2019

As somebody who does both speed and figure skating, I'm often confused about why most figure skaters choose not to wear a helmet. The risk of concussion and other head injuries are real and they happen even with higher level skaters, not just beginners. Granted, more advanced or experienced skaters learn how to break falls with hands or knees, and big injuries are quite rare; however, injuries do happen and they can be serious. Hitting your head can happen even when you're not jumping i.e. falling from a lift, tripping or from a spin so anyone has a good reason why most figure skaters still choose not to wear a helmet, even when they know the risks are real?

rikaquegira · Feb 28, 2019

IsKAtEFaSt said:
As somebody who does both speed and figure skating, I'm often confused about why most figure skaters choose not to wear a helmet. The risk of concussion and other head injuries are real and they happen even with higher level skaters, not just beginners. Granted, more advanced or experienced skaters learn how to break falls with hands or knees, and big injuries are quite rare; however, injuries do happen and they can be serious. Hitting your head can happen even when you're not jumping i.e. falling from a lift, tripping or from a spin so anyone has a good reason why most figure skaters still choose not to wear a helmet, even when they know the risks are real?

I think it's because they rarely hit their heads??
Also, figure skating is a e s t h e t i c s .
so helmets are like, not cool.
It's the reality.

but I do think that like, Pairs is a discipline that freaks me out and while I know there are very few serious accidents in competition I still think about how they have like, zero safety equipments, if something happens... :hopelessness:

I'd like to think that in elite figure skating they know what they're doing so it's all good, no need to worry.

But Cirque du Soleil acrobats are also professionals and know what they're doing but still, people have died in that thing because, guess what? It is effing dangerous!

Sam-Skwantch · Feb 28, 2019

I wish they would wear helmets!!!

IsKAtEFaSt · Feb 28, 2019

rikaquegira said:
I think it's because they rarely hit their heads??
Also, figure skating is a e s t h e t i c s .
so helmets are like, not cool.
It's the reality.

but I do think that like, Pairs is a discipline that freaks me out and while I know there are very few serious accidents in competition I still think about how they have like, zero safety equipments, if something happens... :hopelessness:

I'd like to think that in elite figure skating they know what they're doing so it's all good, no need to worry.

But Cirque du Soleil acrobats are also professionals and know what they're doing but still, people have died in that thing because, guess what? It is effing dangerous!

Just because it's rare doesn't mean it can't happen but I do agree with everything you said. I guess it's just a sad reality where athletes are sacrificing their safety for a e s t h e t i c s.

Mathman · Feb 28, 2019

Actually, the suggestion to start a helmet movement for pairs could serve as the thin edge of the wedge toward better safety. Maybe they would discover, like hockey players did in the 1970s, that helmets can be cool after all. (Hockey players initially resisted because wearing a helmet was unmanly. Real men get their heads bashed in!)

In fact, if pairs skaters competed in more athletic-looking uniforms, leaving the sequins and ruffles to ice dancers, that might give the sport of pairs skating a much-needed shot in the arm. :yes:

jf12 · Feb 28, 2019

Pairs has always seemed super dangerous to me too, but there’s also the risk, like when American football players moved to big helmets, that they just try more and more dangerous things when they think they have broad protection, when in fact helmets can only prevent a subset of brain injuries.

hanyuufan5 · Feb 28, 2019

The idea of jumping and spinning with anything obstructing my view or that can fall/fly off is much scarier than the risk of head injuries. Watching non-beginners skate in glasses gives me the heebie-jeebies, to say nothing of helmets.

NanaPat · Mar 1, 2019

Mathman said:
Actually, the suggestion to start a helmet movement for pairs could serve as the thin edge of the wedge toward better safety. Maybe they would discover, like hockey players did in the 1970s, that helmets can be cool after all. (Hockey players initially resisted because wearing a helmet was unmanly. Real men get their heads bashed in!)

In fact, if pairs skaters competed in more athletic-looking uniforms, leaving the sequins and ruffles to ice dancers, that might give the sport of pairs skating a much-needed shot in the arm. :yes:

And teeth. Very few hockey players have a full set of "natural" teeth.

Ic3Rabbit · Mar 1, 2019

This thread topic has been brought up over and over. There was one thread about it that raged on for months. A search should find it for you and answer questions you have.

ETA: Beyond a certain skill level, helmets have no place.

Sam L · Mar 1, 2019

I’ve never worn helmets but I think it’ll throw your centre of gravity off for spins and jumps. Just doesn’t feel right.

Sam-Skwantch · Mar 1, 2019

hanyuufan5 said:
The idea of jumping and spinning with anything obstructing my view or that can fall/fly off is much scarier than the risk of head injuries.

Maybe...but then again maybe not.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BsECZi1FRc6/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=60zqis1qzoep

I’ve honestly long since grown numb to the unnecessary danger years ago. You just see people whacking their heads and grabbing a bag of ice and a Motrin enough times that you come to accept it. Unless the sport adopts athletic attire for competition helmets will never happen. Figure skating will not give up costumes IMO.

wobblepro · Mar 1, 2019

I can't bring myself to wear a helmet, in part because I have never hit my head on any fall, but mostly because of the desire for comfort. I imagine a helmet would be hot and sweaty, would obstruct my vision, and might distract me by shifting in weird ways. Plus, I have to go to work straight from the rink and don't have time to redo my hair after a helmet messes it up---and it would mess it up, because my hair is curly and just LOVES any and all opportunities to frizz.

But... since I am still stuck at home for week 5 of 6 of doctor-ordered time off the ice following a knee injury, I AM preparing to at least get knee pads. Because I seem to be incapable of NOT pointing my knee at the ice any time I start to fall.

*wanders off to search for knee pad recommendations*

Nimyue · Mar 1, 2019

IsKAtEFaSt said:
As somebody who does both speed and figure skating, I'm often confused about why most figure skaters choose not to wear a helmet. The risk of concussion and other head injuries are real and they happen even with higher level skaters, not just beginners. Granted, more advanced or experienced skaters learn how to break falls with hands or knees, and big injuries are quite rare; however, injuries do happen and they can be serious. Hitting your head can happen even when you're not jumping i.e. falling from a lift, tripping or from a spin so anyone has a good reason why most figure skaters still choose not to wear a helmet, even when they know the risks are real?

I just want to add that the falls that I'm the least likely to hit my head in are jump falls. When you jump you have a forward or backward trajectory, so falls tend to slide. Unless I fall straight down on my glute, jumping falls don't usually hurt. Spinning falls hurt because you tend to go straight down, but again never the head. Usually it's a knee or elbow or hands. Same with tripping on a toe pick, you hit your knee usually.

Beginner skaters will do the backwards whirl fall which is seriously scary and why a lot of them wear helmets. But you'll never see a skater past the basics falling like this. Okay maybe not never, but they're usually doing something silly to cause it.

Falls out of pairs are a whole other thing that are very scary.

But like many have already said wearing a helmet would really impede spins and jumps. The most minor movement or body position can affect your spin. A helmet would make spinning terrifying I'd think.

sandraskates · Mar 1, 2019

There are head protectors for figure skaters that are less clunky than helmets. Lookup Halo and Crashe.
However, I still would not put any faith in that they might protect against a severe backward fall on the head (such as the one suffered by pair skater J Paul Binnebose).

One of the first skills we teach beginning skaters is how to fall properly.

Pepipanda · Mar 1, 2019

I wear a helmet. I'm an adult skater who (re-)started last summer, and I'm now working on single jumps and starting a 1-foot spin. I've worn it every time I'm on the ice since I started (except for one show performance), and I've had one fall where the helmet definitely came in handy (people were worried, but I was fine), which was when I fell backwards into the boards. It does not impede vision at all, and I haven't had any problems with it moving around or getting hot and sweaty. A lot of this, though, comes from choosing an appropriate helmet.

I assume that if you learn to spin and jump with a helmet, then it would be much less of a problem than starting to wear one after these have been learned. That said, I'm also in school headed toward a very thinking-heavy profession and my dreams don't involve high-level competition. Therefore, I figure that my brain is more important to me than looking nice when skating.

IsKAtEFaSt · Mar 1, 2019

I use volleyball knee pads for speed skating and use them if I'm working on doubles. They work quite nicely for falls or crashes.

IsKAtEFaSt · Mar 1, 2019

For lower rotation jumps like singles to double loops I have found it possible to break a fall with my hands but there are some instances when attempting a double axel where I came pretty close to hitting my head . I don't think wearing a helmet does impede my jumping that much because I still get the same quality of jumps when I have them on vs no helmet. But falling is more common than I'd like to think it i; my friend who was doing dance had severe concussions from being dropped during a lift (twice!) this year and she's a junior at nationals. And helmets don't have to be super bulky like a hockey helmet and they would still do the job. Here's the one I use: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1..._Vortex_Helemt_New_1024x1024.jpg?v=1546620085
I can see out of my helmet going forwards/backwards and it doesn't fall off when I do into lower doubles.

jf12 · Mar 1, 2019

Most of sessions around here have 20 people on them - If I saw someone on a session that was skating so out of control they would regularly fall that crazy on attempting double flips - double axels, I personally wouldn’t skate on that session.

VegMom · Mar 2, 2019

It's just the culture. And it seems to be changing, just slowly.

There are a lot of stated excuses that coaches and skaters will SAY but they don't rally hold up to scrutiny.

For instance, studies show that any sport where they train with helmets they get used to the helmet and adjust enough that it doesn't throw off their center of gravity. ONLY the ones who rarely wear helmets get thrown off by wearing one.

What I think will really change the game is a special helmet designed for figure skating. Something that is lightweight, has a strap (so it won't slip off in fast spins or jumps), allows air and doesn't trap sweat, protects the back of the head area that is the most common for head injuries, and looks fashionable.

jersey1302 · Mar 2, 2019

It of coarse is about aesthetics as no ones going to want to watch a skater with a helmet on their head doing an interpretation to bolero.. or Carmen.. lol.. its the same as gymnastics.. it is also about balance.. you cant possible do consistent jumps and spins at a high level with a helmet bobbing around your head. No helmet will ever be fashionable IMO. Also in my opinion at least for higher level skaters, you learn how to fall properly. Sometimes you cant help the way you land but you know how to keep your head up. I dont think figure skating has a high enough danger risk and has a high enough rate of concussions and impact related deaths to warrant figure skaters wearing helmets.. Should pair skaters who are new or learning new lifts wear one? sure.. until you're comfortable and secure enough where you dont need it anymore. So lower caliber or newer skaters learning things could wear helmets of some sort for protection but for higher caliber athletes that you would see on tv etc.. I dont think its necessary. I've never hit my head on the ice (not saying it cant happen etc) but its just not something im worried about. It could be left to a choice while training, if you want to wear one wear one. As far as mandatory..not going to happen.

No Helmets in Figure Skating?

IsKAtEFaSt

rikaquegira

Sam-Skwantch

“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good”

IsKAtEFaSt

Mathman

jf12

hanyuufan5

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NanaPat

Ic3Rabbit

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Sam L

Sam-Skwantch

“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good”

wobblepro

Nimyue

sandraskates

Pepipanda

IsKAtEFaSt

IsKAtEFaSt

jf12

VegMom

jersey1302

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No Helmets in Figure Skating?

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