Munich - In-line skaters should always wear proper helmets a and protect their wrists, elbows and knees to ward off injury in a fall, Germany's product safety and testing organization said.

The optimal protection for in-line skaters includes a helmet and padded guards for the joints in a fall. Although head injuries are not that common among in-line skaters, a helmet is recommended. It should fit properly and skaters should make sure they wear it correctly.

A helmet should be neither too tight nor too loose and must be worn on every skating outing with the chin strap closed. If the helmet receives a hard blow, it should be replaced because it might not be able to withstand another impact and therefore would not offer sufficient protection.

The product safety organization said to pay attention to the skater's particular needs when buying protective wrist. There are two classes of protection - one for regular in-line skating and the other for acrobatic in-line skating. The pads must fit perfectly.

When shopping for the equipment, look for adjustable pads and find the correct size. How to use the item, the size and weight limitations are available on a tag sewn into the pad. Higher quality products also carry the symbol of a product safety organization. (dpa)