Mountain Biking Injuries Requiring Trauma Center Admission: A 10-year Regional Trauma System Experience

Abstract

Mountain biking is a growing cause of serious injuries. Young males are principally at risk and serious injuries result from intended activity and despite protective equipment. Injury prevention programs were developed to address these concerns.

Severe street and mountain bicycling injuries in adults: a comparison of the incidence, risk factors and injury patterns over 14 years

“…Although the orthopedic injury rate approximated those observed in previous investigations, [4][5][6]22,23 the frequency of thoracic injuries was significantly higher. This most commonly comprised rib fractures, pulmonary contusions and hemopneumothoraces.…”

“…The rate of spinal trauma was significantly higher among mountain than street cyclists (65.3% v. 41.1%, p = 0.003), with fractures to the cervical and thoracolumbar spine being equally frequent. 5 A potential mechanism for concomitant head and cervical spine injury in mountain bikers has previously been postulated to involve a fall over the handlebars, resulting in a blow to the top of the head and cervical flexion or hyperextension. 5,21 This mechanism may easily have occurred in this study, given that so many mountain bikers were observed to fall off cliffs, roadsides and embankments.…”

“…[3][4][5][6][7] Absolute injury event rates per kilometer for street cycling range from 26 to 68 times higher than those for motor vehicle travel. 8 In British Columbia, major trauma related to street cycling occurs at an annual incidence of 49.8 per 100 000 (2.9% of all trauma admissions), with most deaths occurring as a result of neurotrauma.…”

“…4 Conversely, mountain biking injuries accounted for only 1.6% of all severe trauma patient admissions in this area from 1992 to 2002 (about 1-6 injuries per 100 000 patients per year). 5 Although observational studies of bicycling injuries are common, [3][4][5][6][7][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] to our knowledge, our study is the first to compare the overall major trauma epidemiology of street and mountain bicycling in detail. Few reports have discussed experience with severe bicycling-related multisystem injuries that require emergent surgical intervention or intensive care unit (ICU) admission.…”

Acute injuries and overuse syndromes in sport climbing and bouldering in Austria: a descriptive epidemiological study

“…Although no studies published till date have been specifically performed in climbers, there is some evidence that males may be at greater risk for acute injuries in mountain biking [8]. Also, males are inclined to take greater risks in rock climbing [9] which may be explained by their mean risk perception being generally lower than that of women in outdoor-adventure sports [10,11].…”