| Natasha Richardson was only 45 years old and | | | | outside of your body may be in good shape or only |
| enjoying a skiing holiday with her husband, the famous | | | | suffer minor cuts and bruises, it is the damage to the |
| actor Liam Nielsen; a simple fall on the bunny slopes led | | | | brain itself which is the issue. |
| to Natasha getting back up on her feet and dusting | | | | When your head suffers from a blow or impact, the |
| herself off while chatting to her family and friends, a | | | | brain itself is moved - your brain has a consistency |
| little shaken she walked off the slopes but despite the | | | | similar to jello. The brain moving against the inside of |
| instructor telling her to get to hospital but she refused | | | | your skull leads to bruising and swelling and this is |
| because she felt perfectly fine. | | | | referred to as a concussion. While a concussion can |
| Natasha was not wearing a helmet and the blow to | | | | be serious and unpleasant for the sufferer, it is not the |
| her head soon demonstrated how serious even minor | | | | worst that can happen. The brain itself may bleed, |
| blows can be. Natasha developed a bad headache | | | | known as "brain bleed", and like a concussion the |
| within an hour of the accident and despite getting to | | | | effects may not be noticed immediately, but the |
| hospital; she tragically died the next day. | | | | damage has occurred so treatment is necessitated |
| Natasha Richardson is by no means the only celebrity | | | | immediately. This is why Natasha did not feel she |
| to have died as a result of an accident involving a | | | | needed to get to the hospital as soon as she was hurt, |
| blow or impact to the head when they were not | | | | but valuable time was lost in getting treatment until the |
| wearing a helmet. Sonny Bono died in a similar | | | | condition had deteriorated to such a tragic extent. |
| accident on the ski slopes as did Michael Kennedy, son | | | | Wearing a helmet does not guarantee protection from |
| of Robert Kennedy along with hundreds of other | | | | brain trauma, but studies have shown that cyclists |
| people in similar circumstances. | | | | wearing a helmet are 85% less likely to suffer brain |
| Extreme sports provide thrill seekers with the | | | | trauma than a cyclist without one. Wearing a helmet |
| opportunity to enjoy the ultimate in adrenaline rushes | | | | can soften the blow to the head, which in turn |
| and excitement, but with this come an elevated risk of | | | | ameliorates the damage to the brain inside the skull, |
| injury, particularly to the head. This is why is it is | | | | though there are no guarantees. The safest course is |
| absolutely essential to wear a helmet whenever you | | | | to wear a helmet and to seek immediate medical |
| are engaging in extreme sports or any activity where | | | | attention if you do hit your head - each year, 1.5 million |
| there is a risk to the head. | | | | people suffer a brain injury and there are over 5 million |
| Any blow or collision involving your head which impacts | | | | Americans who have to live with brain injuries, make |
| with a greater speed than 15 m.p.h. is highly dangerous. | | | | sure you and your family never become part of those |
| The human body is simply not designed to withstand | | | | sad statistics. |
| collisions at speeds greater than this, and though the | | | | |