Brain bleed!

[we]

Take a look at a watersport with some parallels, wakeboarding.* Wakeboarders experience traumatic brain injury with some frequency, most don't wear helmets.

Does a helmet help when you are just hitting the water? I can't tell from all the articles and posts whether a helmet helps or a helmet hurts. Are people getting concussions from hitting the water?

I've never felt like I was going to get a concussion from hitting the water, maybe blow an eardrum. It seem like your head would just go in the water, as opposed to hitting a solid surface.

[Bille]

Having said that I'm still wearing helmet. Except on those Caribbean session where I wear a sun hat.

SOO00oooo your willing to put your personal Safety ; (above) just looking COOL ?

Your probably really comfortable with yourself ; and i bet you get laid a LOT ??

Ya see --- a bunch of insecure guys ; they would rather risk injury, than use a helmet !!

Bille

[RickI]

Yes, wakeboarders are frequently concussed from hitting water with no helmets in use. The sudden stops, violent rotations bring them about. Kiters sometimes experience the same thing depending on how we burn in. Some kiters have been concussed from hitting water as well, see the link below.* I have worn helmets while kiting for over 16 years and have no issues with a good fitting, secured and appropriate helmet for the demands of our sport myself. I have hit very hard a number of times in that time as well. That has been my experience. BTW, lots of guys wear helmets with ear covers to guard against a ruptured eardrum.

Do people put seatbelts on only when they are going to have accidents, five point belts for really bad ones and lap belts for lighter slam ins? The analogy extends to safety gear use. We generally have no clue when we'll have an accident, how bad, on land, water, on water and land, hitting boats, buoys, boards, etc. etc.. You can't accurately anticipate accidents in detail most of the time. You just take reasonable precautions to try to avoid and manage them.


*

This guy was likely knocked out, concussed in this impact and was dragged 3000 ft., effectively drowned and was revived through CPR which was miraculous considering the success rate. He is a very fortunate man.
http://www.fksa.org/showthread.php?t=6179

Take a look at a watersport with some parallels, wakeboarding.* Wakeboarders experience traumatic brain injury with some frequency, most don't wear helmets.

Does a helmet help when you are just hitting the water? I can't tell from all the articles and posts whether a helmet helps or a helmet hurts. Are people getting concussions from hitting the water?

I've never felt like I was going to get a concussion from hitting the water, maybe blow an eardrum. It seem like your head would just go in the water, as opposed to hitting a solid surface.

[dylan*]

Take a look at a watersport with some parallels, wakeboarding.* Wakeboarders experience traumatic brain injury with some frequency, most don't wear helmets.

Does a helmet help when you are just hitting the water? I can't tell from all the articles and posts whether a helmet helps or a helmet hurts. Are people getting concussions from hitting the water?

I've never felt like I was going to get a concussion from hitting the water, maybe blow an eardrum. It seem like your head would just go in the water, as opposed to hitting a solid surface.

Yes, getting a concussion happens when you head decelerates too quickly and your brain smashes into the inside of your skull causing swelling. Wakeboarders and kiters get them all the time from catching edges during landings or just landing the wrong way. Concussions seem to occur just as commonly in wakeboarders wearing helmets as ones without (especially since a lot happen doing air tricks at cable parks where they are mandatory).

I've tried to do some research as well and haven't really seen anything conclusive. There was one paper that said the additional surface area + buoyancy of the helmet counteracted the padding, so they wouldn't make an official recommendation for wearing one on the water, especially since there's more stuff to catch water and cause whiplash/neck injuries.

But since most kite related injuries occur on land and colliding with solid objects, it's generally advisable to wear one if that is a concern.

I wish a good study could be done so we could have a definitive answer as to whether you should wear one on the water. You'd think there's enough money in wakeboarding that some research could be done, since concussions are becoming a bigger issue.

[foilholio]

I have done it quite a few times kiting and nearly been knocked out a couple, just from hitting the water but also from being hit by the board. I always make it a priority to head straight to the beach while feeling dizzy or woozy or in pain. Drowning seems a very real and easy thing to occur in such situations. Next to not wearing a helmet I think kiting alone is also a big risk factor. I do both so :-/... not good.

[TheJoe]

Take a look at a watersport with some parallels, wakeboarding.* Wakeboarders experience traumatic brain injury with some frequency, most don't wear helmets.

Does a helmet help when you are just hitting the water? I can't tell from all the articles and posts whether a helmet helps or a helmet hurts. Are people getting concussions from hitting the water?

I've never felt like I was going to get a concussion from hitting the water, maybe blow an eardrum. It seem like your head would just go in the water, as opposed to hitting a solid surface.

Yes you can get a concussion from hitting the water. Actually a helmet does increase the chances of getting one and whiplash. I don't get them that often or are they very sever more mild than anything. Worst ones have disoriented me and messed with my vision for a a few seconds. I have gotten more while wake-boarding at a cable park compared to kiting. I do wear a helmet while kiting but we have shallow water with some random rocks in just under the sand. Plus our entry has lots of rocks and a cement pad for erosion protection. Plus I'm bald so it does help prevent sunburn.

I'm not advocating wearing or not wearing one. I will all ways suggest a low profile helmet to reduce the risk of whiplash and concussion.