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It appears that there are not yet enough public data (sorry if that sounds a bit funny, but technically speaking the word "data" is plural - Latin you know - so even in English it is supposed to have a plural verb, hence "data are" not "data is") about helmets. Spencer Chang and Wilson SooHoo, 2 doctors, have published an article arguing that helmets are dangerous to the cervical (neck) vertebrae. They don't cite any long studies in their article, so I'm not exactly sure on what they are relying. However, if that is true, then we will indeed need to take a long hard look before changing rules to require helmets. It would certainly be foolish, I think, to require something that makes the sport more dangerous to the average vaulter, even if it occasionally were to save a life. I mean really, if helmets were to cause a dozen broken necks a year but saved one life, is that a sensible or reasonable trade-off? Now that's an ethical quandry I suppose.

As for landing on your feet, I always thought that it would be preferable to land on your feet (say, if you realize that you are going to miss the pit - if you stall out and are coming back onto the runway, for example). Although I must admit that I severely injured my heel doing exactly that back in December 2002 (several trips to the podiatrist and 2 cortizone shots ago).

Russ wrote: As for landing on your feet, I always thought that it would be preferable to land on your feet (say, if you realize that you are going to miss the pit - if you stall out and are coming back onto the runway, for example). Although I must admit that I severely injured my heel doing exactly that back in December 2002 (several trips to the podiatrist and 2 cortizone shots ago).

Well yeah, if you're going to miss the pit from getting rejected or going sideways or over the back, then try to land on your feet, but if you land on your feet in the pit, your spikes can get caught in the mesh breather material and turn the ankle badly. I lost one outdoor season from doing that and know at least a dozen other guys that did the same. You can also do it running through and stepping into the crack behind the box where the front buns meet eachother. I think Earl Bell might even count it as a miss at meets at the building if you land on your feet - clarification Lon, Dub, or Brad?

My friend stepped in the crack and was out for the summer season So yes, it sucks.

Ouch! This brings back bad memories!
I dislocated an ankle in a crack some seven or eight years ago. Ever seen the movie misery? Yeah, just like that, and the doctor did not set if right for hours. Took me till last year to get back into vaulting. Don't land on your feet if your safely in the pit!
Also, if you land on your feet, even in the center of the pit, if you have any forward momentum you will have a tendency to bounce to the back, and possibly roll off. Even with a helmet this can hurt the head, and without a helmet it can be deadly.
Not to be dreary or anything, but having a foot turn sideways and stay there is not fun, neither is bouncing off the pits on your head.
Vault on and be safe.
joe

I've been vaulting for about 8 years now, and just withing the last couple have I started wearing a helmet. I've had my best years jumping with one, and it doesn't affect me one bit. I was skeptical at first, just as many people are, but once I got use to it, it was all ok. Not nearly as big of a deal as a few people on this site are making it out to be. Don't knock it till you try it. If it works for you, Great! If it doesn't then don't wear one and stop trying to influence others who may have the common knowledge to want to protect themselves. Who is anybody to argue with a choice that someone else has made, especially when it doesn't affect you?

To the person who started this forum..................What's a GOOD reason that you don't want to wear a helmet?

RamVault09 wrote:I've been vaulting for about 8 years now, and just withing the last couple have I started wearing a helmet. I've had my best years jumping with one, and it doesn't affect me one bit. I was skeptical at first, just as many people are, but once I got use to it, it was all ok. Not nearly as big of a deal as a few people on this site are making it out to be. Don't knock it till you try it. If it works for you, Great! If it doesn't then don't wear one and stop trying to influence others who may have the common knowledge to want to protect themselves. Who is anybody to argue with a choice that someone else has made, especially when it doesn't affect you?

It's not that we don't want people who want to wear not to wear helmets. Nobody would say "don't wear a helmet even though you want to." what we're all worried about is having helmets become mandatory so EVERYONE, even people who feel uncomfortable wearing a helmet, has to wear a helmet. we're fine with helmets being optional right now...just we don't want to see that change in the future.

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