Trauma injuries sustained by cyclists

Abstract

The aim of this article is to review the pertinent literature and to analyse our own data on facial trauma related to bicycling and mountain-biking. This article focuses on the mechanisms and the variety of bicycle related injuries and addresses the advantages of wearing protection clothes. Within the world of bicycling, the popularity of mountain-biking has increased the most dramatically. The main risk factors for the growing number of bicycle-related injuries are not wearing a helmet, age, male sex, unsafe riding techniques and intoxication. Bikers most commonly collide or fall in daily traffic whereas mountain-bikers get hurt whilst descending. The most common types of injury apart from superficial lesions are dentoalveolar trauma and facial fractures. Wearing protective clothing such as a helmet is demonstrably beneficial and so we suggest that the obligatory use of protective wear should be introduced. For a better insight into overall cycling-related trauma further research will be required.