Give A Bike, Give A Helmet, Physicians Say, To Ensure Safety

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 01 Dec 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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If bikes, skates, skateboards, and scooters are on your gift-giving list this holiday season, be sure to include the accessory that could save a life - a helmet - the physicians of the Texas Medical Association (TMA) advise.

"Bike riding is a great way to stay fit and healthy. We want to make sure kids are riding safely," says Melissa Garretson, MD, chair of TMA's Council on Health Promotion and an emergency department physician. "Having a properly fitted helmet (PDF) and parents who insist on helmet use are key to preventing a serious injury."

When properly fitted, a bicycle helmet can prevent serious head injury up to 85 percent of the time. For maximum protection, parents should fit the helmet down over the child's forehead, snugly, about 1 inch above the eyebrows.

"No one plans to fall. A bike helmet minimizes injuries when a fall does occur and needs to be worn every time we get on a bike. One wrong fall can be devastating," Dr. Garretson says.

Wearing a helmet that is too big, too small, old, or unbuckled will not fully protect a head. Also, helmets wear out and should be replaced every few years, or when a child outgrows a helmet.

Since 1994, TMA has been giving away helmets to children through its Hard Hats for Little Heads program. The program promotes fun exercise and teaches parents and children about the importance of wearing a helmet.

TMA physicians have given more than 60,000 helmets to children, with help from the association's philanthropic arm, the TMA Foundation. TMA recommends helmet use when biking, skating, skateboarding, and riding scooters.

"Even with all our medical advances, a person might not be able to fully recover from a head injury. The best thing to do is prevent, or at least lessen, these injuries with a helmet and appropriate protective gear," Dr. Garretson adds.

TMA physicians recommend these steps to fit a helmet:

- Sit the helmet squarely on the child's head covering the forehead, with the front approximately 1 inch above the eyebrows.
- Adjust the straps (snug but comfortable) to secure the helmet.
- If needed, use the pads included with the helmet to make it fit snugly.
- Test the fit by pushing the helmet with your hand. If it shifts or slides with a simple push, readjust the straps to tighten the helmet.
- If adjusting the straps doesn't work, try a smaller helmet and repeat the process.

TMA's Hard Hats for Little Heads is sponsored by its philanthropic arm, the TMA Foundation, thanks to generous donations from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas and Prudential Financial, and gifts from physicians and their families. Since the program began, physicians and their families have given away more than 65,000 helmets to Texas children.

TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing nearly 44,000 physicians and medical students. It is located in Austin and has 120 component county medical societies around the state. TMA's key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans.

Source
Texas Medical Association

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