Helmet
Protective headgear with a hard shell and energy-absorbing liner, worn to reduce the force of impacts to the head.
Definition
A helmet is protective headgear built from a hard outer shell over an energy-absorbing liner, designed to spread and cushion impact forces before they reach the head. Its shape, coverage and fittings differ by sport, from the ventilated shell of a cycling helmet to the caged, padded helmets of cricket, ice hockey, baseball and American football.
Depending on the sport and level of competition, helmets may be mandatory and are typically expected to meet a recognised safety standard for that activity. Because a helmet is engineered to absorb energy on impact, one that has taken a significant blow is generally retired rather than reused.
Scope: Educational overview only; the certification standards and usage rules set by the relevant sport's governing body should be followed.
Where you’ll hear “helmet”
Sports that use this term:
Cycling
A low-impact endurance sport that doubles as transport, exercise and adventure.
Cricket
A bat-and-ball team sport where sides take turns to bat and to bowl and field, scoring runs.
Baseball
A bat-and-ball team sport where two sides alternate between batting and fielding to score runs.
Ice Hockey
A fast team sport on ice that combines skating skill with quick passing and goal-scoring.
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Equipment
- Ski helmetA hard-shelled helmet worn on the slopes to reduce head-impact risk in a fall or collision.
- Bike helmetA hard-shelled head covering worn while cycling, built to absorb a single significant impact and be replaced afterwards.
- Shin guardsProtective pads worn over the shins in football and other field sports.
Movement comparisons
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- Jump vs LandingJump vs Landing: how these two movements differ, what they share, and how to tell them apart — from mechanics to the sports that use them.
- Hop vs LandingHop vs Landing: how these two movements differ, what they share, and how to tell them apart — from mechanics to the sports that use them.
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How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Term
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
- 0
- Content updated
- 2026-09-01
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