Abstract
When in public, faith-based mandates require practising Sikh men to wear a turban which may not be covered by hats or caps. This makes it impossible for practising Sikhs to wear helmets and other protective headwear, mandatory in many countries and facilities for engagement in recreational pursuits (e.g., skiing) and on adventure outdoor recreation camps mandatorily run for school groups. The result is often social exclusion and ostracisation in the case of school children. Despite studies into the efficacy of protective helmets in some recreational outdoor activity settings, virtually nothing is known about the protective potential of turbans. This paper systematically reviews the extant literature on head injuries in several recreational outdoor activities and sports sectors (aerial, water, winter, wheeled and animal-based sports) and finds that the extant literature is of limited value when trying to understand the spatial distribution of trauma on the cranial surface. As the data do not permit to make inferences on the protective potential of turbans, future systematic, evidence-based epidemiological studies derived from hospital admissions and forensic examinations are required. Failure to do so perpetuates social exclusion and discrimination of religious grounds without an evidentiary basis for defensible public health measures.
Highlights
Participation in recreational and professional sport is meant to be an all-inclusive activity, subject only to personal motivation and ability
Well-meaning legislative constraints to wear protective gear may impact participation, as the stipulations of the legal mandate clash with cultural norms. One of these incidences is the conflict between the culturally and spiritually mandated requirement to wear a turban and the legally mandated requirement to wear a helmet when engaging in a range of sports
This paper examines evidence whether turbans might provide sufficient protection and could be worn in lieu of helmets
Summary
Participation in recreational and professional sport is meant to be an all-inclusive activity, subject only to personal motivation and ability. Some cultures’ gender-stereotyping, create extraneous influences that limit participation. Well-meaning legislative constraints to wear protective gear may impact participation, as the stipulations of the legal mandate clash with cultural norms. One of these incidences is the conflict between the culturally and spiritually mandated requirement to wear a turban and the legally mandated requirement to wear a helmet when engaging in a range of sports. A strict interpretation and application of the legal mandate effectively pose a stark choice for male Sikhs: violet the spiritual mandate to wear a turban or abstain from the sport. This paper examines evidence whether turbans might provide sufficient protection and could be worn in lieu of helmets
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