September 1, 2016
The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS COT), through its Subcommittee on Injury Prevention and Control, prepared the following statement to educate surgeons about the effectiveness of general helmet usage in preventing severe traumatic brain injury and to encourage surgeons to support appropriate legislation in their respective states. The ACS Board of Regents approved the statement at its June 3–4 meeting in Chicago, IL.
Helmet use is widely accepted as an effective means of preventing severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) in bicyclists and motorcycle riders. Previous ACS statements on helmet use are as follows:
In addition, there is an increasing appreciation of the significance of concussive injuries and the long-term effects of repetitive trauma to the head. In light of these trends, helmet usage in other recreational activities has become increasingly popular. The ACS supports the following:
The COT finds that, at present, insufficient evidence is available to make any statement regarding helmet usage in specific sports, such as lacrosse and soccer.