Gear
Good equipment and the right accessories are ESSENTIAL to safe skating and riding.
- First, make sure you wear a bike or multi purpose helmet. It's the only thing that will protect you from serious injury or death.
- Multi purpose helmets must show that they meet the N-94 standard set by the Snell Memorial Foundation.
- Bike helmets must be labeled as meeting the Consumer Product Safety Commission Standard.
- Special helmets are made just for skateboarding, but if one is not available, bike helmets will work.
- Wear wrist guards and elbow and knee pads to avoid the most common injuries.
- Make sure all your gear fits snugly enough that it won't move if you fall, but is loose enough that you can see and move ok.
How to Fall
If you skate or ride scooters, you are probably going to fall. Learning how to fall the right way can prevent injuries and make them less serious.
- If you are losing your balance, crouch down so that your center of gravity becomes lower. You will also not have as far to fall.
- Try to land on the fleshy parts of your body.
- Try landing: 1st on your knees and 2nd on your elbows, then SKID with your wrists.
- If you fall, try to roll rather than absorb the force with your arms or any one part of your body.
- Try to relax, rather than stiffen your body in a fall.
- Practice falling on a soft surface or grass.
Produced by the Community Education and Child Advocacy Department
Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, Indiana
www.rileyhospital.org/kids1st
Related Documents
Skateboard Safety Printable Version
Skateboard Safety Gear Printable Version
[Keywords: skateboard safety]
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