It Ain’t Brain Surgery: A Prevention Program for Snowboarders and Skiers

Abstract

Snowboarding and skiing are highly popular winter sports that may result in severe injury, in particular head and spinal cord injury, when proper equipment is not utilized. The It Ain’t Brain Surgery Initiative was an injury prevention program that changed the culture and attitudes in snowboarding and skiing communities by making helmet use mainstream and, thus, minimizing the risk of head and spinal cord injury. It is well established that head injury is both problematic and highly preventable through the use of helmets. Therefore, an injury prevention program in this area must focus on helmet use and include mechanisms that increase helmet use. The It Ain’t Brain Surgery program, which was initiated in Denver, Colorado, was found to be an effective program in increasing helmet use and reducing the rates of brain injuries among skiers and snowboarders. The program utilized evidence-informed research to promote, as well as implement, its initiative while maintaining financial and public support from important collaborators and stakeholders. Furthermore, the program was a catalyst towards making helmets a typical piece of equipment for snowboarders and skiers nationwide. This program was greatly successful in its intentions that it was no longer necessary to sustain. The It Ain’t Brain Surgery program is an exemplary practice as it demonstrates procedures and supports necessary to change behaviors in helmet use for sports and recreational-associated activates.

Appendices

BRIO Model: It Ain’t Brain Surgery

Group Served: All snowboarders and skiers.

Goal: To promote the use of helmets to snowboarders and skiers for the prevention on head/brain injuries .

Background	Resources	Implementation	Outcome
Injuries happen frequently among skiers and snowboarders; brain injuries constitute about 20–30% of all injuries and are the leading cause of death in this group. Helmets are shown to be effective tools in reducing brain injuries; however they are not widely used among skiers and snowboarders In 1998 in response to the increasing number of brain injuries, the It Ain’t Brain Surgery program was initiated by a neurosurgeon in Denver, Colorado The aim of the program was to increase helmet use among skiers and snowboarders The program included three parts: marketing campaign, helmet loaner program, and educating instructors and patrollers	The program has been funded through various sources: grants from the St. Anthony Health Foundation, InterMountain Neurosurgery, Centura Trauma Services at St. Anthony Central Hospital, private individuals, and fundraising events Funds were mainly used to purchase helmets which were offered at no extra cost to skiers and snowboarders renting equipment at participating Christy Sports stores Extensive media coverage on effectiveness of helmets in reducing head injuries and promotion of the program was launched	The program included a multidisciplinary approach to injury prevention and incorporated the health benefit model (i.e., benefit of wearing helmet outweighs the cost) The program also provides marketing advantage for the participating stores by attracting more customers to the stores since helmets are provided for free The program is now expanded to other ski rental stores and ski schools Currently, at the ski schools, helmets are provided to all the children as a default option unless their parents explicitly indicate that they do not want their children to wear a helmet	The program was successful in increasing the rates of helmet rentals at the participating sites The surveys conducted at the participating sites revealed high helmet acceptance rates as well as high degrees of self-reported compliance Observational studies showed that a significantly greater number of skiers and snowboarders in locations where the program was implemented were wearing helmets The program decreased the rates of brain injuries over the years despite the increase in participation

Life-Space Model : It Ain’t Brain Surgery

Sociocultural: civilization/community	Interpersonal: primary and secondary relationships	Physical environments: where we live	Internal states: biochemical/genetic and means of coping
Awareness raising through extensive mass media coverage on effectiveness of helmets and the program itself Involvement of Christy Sports as an environment to run the helmet loaner component of the program Participation of the community in fundraising events to contribute to the program financially and raise awareness Multifaceted strategy that includes snowboarders, skiers, instructors, health professionals, and researchers	Close relationship between Christy Sports and initiators of the program to promote helmet use and run helmet loaner program Relationship with the funding bodies such as helmet manufacturers and St. Anthony Hospital to allow for the program to run Close cooperation with ski schools in order to allow for the implementation of the program in the ski schools	Detailed assessment of the mechanism of injury among skiers and snowboarders Evaluation of the effectiveness of helmets in reducing brain injuries in this group Involvement of the local stores in the implementation of the program	Training the ski instructors and patrollers in risks associated with this sport and promotion of helmet use by offering them free helmets Training the staff at the participating stores about the risk of injury and importance of wearing helmets Expansion of the program to other ski resorts and ski schools