[Safety handles for ski sticks to prevent eye, hand and stomach injuries (author's transl)].

Eye injuries caused by ski stick handles are rare but serious. The material and shape of the handle can be designed to prevent serious injury without adversely affecting function. Even at winter temperatures polyurethane remains moderately malleable and shock-absorbent; it is light, and is a poor heat conductor, so that the hands do not get cold quickly. The end of the handle is 8 cm in diameter; attached to this is an adjustable loop which fits around the hand. The loop opens on impact. It is thus impossible for the orbit to sustain injury and there is less danger to other injury-prone regions of the body such as the neck and stomach. The anatomically designed handles, with wide thumb supports, help prevent hand injuries, and in particular thumb injuries, to a large extent. Such injuries have occurred frequently in the past.