Recent experiments have demonstrated that phenomena associated with ion dynamics, such as the lower hybrid resonance, play an important role in helicon source operation. In this work, a review of recent ion heating measurements and the role of the slow wave in heating ions at the edge of helicon sources is presented. The relationship between parametrically driven waves and ion heating near the rf antenna in helicon sources is also discussed. Recent measurements of parallel and rotational ion flows in helicon sources are presented and the implications for particle confinement, instability growth, and helicon source operation are reviewed.