Effect of Wearing a Ski Helmet on Perception and Localization of Sounds

Abstract

Helmet use on ski slopes has steadily increased worldwide over the past years. A common reason reported for helmet non-use, however, is impaired hearing. Therefore, an intra-subject design study was conducted to compare hearing thresholds and sound source localization of 21 adults with normal hearing in an anechoic chamber when wearing a ski helmet and ski goggles or wearing a ski cap and ski goggles to the condition head bare. Hearing thresholds while wearing a ski helmet (6.8 ± 1.6 dB HL) and ski cap (5.5 ± 1.6 dB HL) were significantly different (p = 0.030, d = 0.44). Compared to head bare (2.5 ± 1.2 dB HL), a significant difference was found for the ski helmet only (p = 0.040, d = 1.57). Regarding sound source localization, correct scores in the condition head bare (90%) showed a highly significant difference compared with those of condition cap (65%) and helmet (58%), respectively (p < 0.001; d > 2.5). Compared to the ski cap, wearing the helmet significantly reduced correct scores (p = 0.020, d = 0.59) irrespective of the tested sound pressure levels. In conclusion, wearing a ski helmet impairs hearing to a small though significantly greater extent compared with a cap, the degree, however, being less than what is termed as a hearing impairment. Compared to the condition head bare, wearing a ski cap or a ski helmet significantly reduced one's ability of sound source localization.

To What Extent Do Attitudes Regarding Ski Helmets Change After a Period of Utilization?

“…With regard to these three issues and beside the subjective attitudes of the individuals, there are some evidence-based results from recent studies. Tudor et al [16] and Ruedl et al [17] found that compared to a ski cap a ski helmet showed an increased hearing threshold. However, according to Ruedl et al [17] the degree of the hearing impairment when using a ski helmet is less than what is termed as a hearing impairment.…”

“…Tudor et al [16] and Ruedl et al [17] found that compared to a ski cap a ski helmet showed an increased hearing threshold. However, according to Ruedl et al [17] the degree of the hearing impairment when using a ski helmet is less than what is termed as a hearing impairment. In addition, as most injuries on ski slopes occurred after a self-inflicted fall without involvement of another skier or snowboarder [2,15,18], compared to an impaired hearing an impairment of vision might be a more essential factor for safety in alpine skiing.…”

Improving Spatial Hearing when Wearing Ski Helmets in Order to Increase Safety on Ski Slopes

“…Subjects responded verbally by naming the number of the loudspeaker where they perceived the sound to come from. Numbers of loudspeakers corresponded to the digits of a clock face, with “12” indicating the front position and “6” indicating the rear position [ 8 , 9 , 15 ] (Ruedl et al, 2014; Seebacher et al, 2015; Ruedl et al, 2019).…”

“…A major reason for this may be its adverse effect on sound perception [ 6 ] (Ruedl et al, 2012). Evidence shows that wearing a ski helmet significantly worsens hearing thresholds as well as sound source localization in comparison to bare head, and partially even in comparison to wearing a cap [ 7 , 8 , 9 ] (Tudor et al, 2010, Ruedl et al, 2014, Ruedl et al, 2019). Although the worsening of the hearing thresholds is not much (<20 dB) and is limited to the high frequency region, it may nevertheless have a detrimental impact on a skier’s ability to identify correctly the sound source direction of perceived sounds.…”

“…Wearing a ski helmet, however, weakens the acoustic function of the outer ear, as the ear pads of the ski helmet are covering the pinna. As indicated above, conventional ski helmets worsen hearing thresholds by about 10 to 20 dB at audiometric frequencies of 3, 4 and 6 kHz [ 7 , 8 , 15 ] (Tudor et al, 2010, Ruedl et al, 2014, Seebacher et al, 2015).…”