Wear the right protective gear
Put on a well-fitted helmet and the pads, guards or mouthguard your sport calls for, every time.
- How often
- As needed
- Time
- 2 min
- Recommended for
- 7 factors
How to do it
- Wear a helmet certified for your activity (bike, ski and snow, skate, climbing) whenever you ride, ski, skate or climb.
- Check the fit. It should sit level, cover your forehead and stay put when you shake your head with the strap buckled.
- Replace a helmet after any hard crash, or if it is cracked or missing padding, even if it looks fine.
- Add the other gear your activity calls for. Wrist guards for skating and snowboarding, shin guards for soccer, a mouthguard and headgear for contact and combat sports, hand wraps or gloves for striking, and a helmet for heavy surf or shallow reef breaks.
Why it helps
Falls and collisions are the most common way people get badly hurt in fast or contact sports. No helmet makes you concussion-proof, but a helmet is linked to a much lower risk of serious brain injury and skull fracture, and wrist guards help protect against breaks from falling onto an outstretched hand.
Be careful
Any hit to the head followed by headache, confusion, vomiting or drowsiness needs prompt medical care, even with a helmet on.
Recommended for
Martial arts
Strikes, throws, grappling and joint locks against a resisting partner.
hobbyMountain biking
Rough trails, steep drops and a lot of jolting through your arms.
hobbyRoad cycling
Hours bent over the bars, legs spinning thousands of turns per ride.
hobbyRock climbing
Hanging your body weight from your fingertips, often above the ground.
hobbySkateboarding
Hard concrete, high speed and a lot of falling while you learn.
hobbySkiing and snowboarding
Speed, twisting falls and long days in cold, bright mountain air.
hobbySurfing
Paddling, cold water and hours of bright sun reflecting off the sea.