If you think about the gold standard of safety in cycling, you probably think about wearing a helmet. While a helmet may certainly prevent some tragic injuries, no helmet is fully concussion-proof. Brain injuries may still occur during a crash even when a cyclist protects their head.
Research has long confirmed that helmets can help protect cyclists in crashes, even those involving motor vehicles when speed and impact are higher. In one study from the Cochrane Injuries Group, scientists found that helmets provide a 63-88% reduction in the risk of head, brain, and severe injury for cyclists of all ages, and a 65% reduction in the risk of upper and mid facial injuries.
While this research is a good endorsement for helmets, it’s also a much needed reminder that these safety tools won’t prevent every brain or head injury. Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can range in severity. They also come with a spectrum of symptoms and long-term health impacts, so while a brain injury may be less severe because the cyclist wore a helmet, it doesn’t mean that they’ve escaped the crash completely unscathed.
What do TBIs look like for cyclists?
Each crash and TBI will look different. Depending on a variety of factors — like the speed of the vehicle, the angle, or the way a cyclist hits their head — a resulting injury can turn out different.
Even mild TBIs, also sometimes known as concussions, can be jarring and come with long-term health and mental health effects. Research in this area is still developing, but as scientists continue to learn more they often find that the term “mild” can be anything but for a mild TBI.
Mild TBI symptoms often include symptoms such as:
- Headache
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Dizziness and/or balance issues
- Confusion
- Tiredness or grogginess
- Changes in sleeping
- Trouble focusing
- Mood changes, such as feelings of anxiety or depression
- Memory loss
Mild TBIs can be difficult to diagnose, but it’s important to address them as early as possible. Doing so can enhance the healing process.
If you’re wearing a helmet at the time of a crash, remember that a mild TBI is still a very real possibility and working with health clinicians is important. Getting checked out after a crash and following up with care as necessary will be an important part of the recovery process.
What makes an effective helmet
You don’t have to know every specific detail or symptom of a concussion or brain injury to know that helmets are an important addition to any cyclist’s ride. Cycling experts and health professionals alike say helmets are worth it, even when they aren’t 100% foolproof.
However, knowing the components of a helmet, its fit, and legitimacy are helpful when it comes to reducing brain injury risk. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises cyclists of all ages to wear helmets and follow certain guidelines to help enhance safety.
Their recommendations include:
- Getting the right size: Sizes of helmets vary, and the right fit is important. A well-fitting helmet will fit snuggly around the head with no gaps between the foam and the head. Straps should be centered along the sides of the head and also underneath the chin, with no more space than that of two fingers.
- Replacing when necessary: Helmets do have expiration dates, so be mindful of yours. If a helmet is involved in a crash, replace it. Keep it out of the weather, like rain and extreme heat, as much as possible and keep it clean. This will extend the life of the helmet’s foam, which offers the cyclist protection.
- Checking for certification: Your helmet should be U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)1 certified and marked with a label confirming so. That label means that the helmet has been tested for safety, and meets the federal safety standard.
These tips will help ensure that when you’re wearing a helmet to minimize your risk of a brain injury, you’re doing it in the best way possible. These factors don’t necessarily mean you won’t get a brain injury while wearing a helmet, but they could make a difference in severity in some cases.
Could helmet makers create a concussion-proof helmet? Maybe, but current research into these prototypes reveal that these helmets would not be practical. When two researchers set out to see if they could construct a helmet that prevented concussions altogether, they found achieving their goal required an amount of foam padding that made the helmet too large and too heavy to be feasible for the average cyclist.
“…most importantly, in a crash the leverage this helmet would exert on your head and neck would be increased dramatically by that thicker foam, upping the dreaded rotational energy to the head and perhaps making it not an anti-concussion helmet at all,” the researchers say of their work.
What to do after a crash, even when wearing a helmet
Cyclists in crashes often feel a rush of adrenaline, which can make it difficult to identify pain or injuries right away. TBIs and concussion symptoms also notoriously can take days to surface. It’s always important to seek necessary care following a crash, especially when you have hit your head.
You may feel lucky that you wore a helmet and that your injuries aren’t as dire as they could have been – which is great – but make sure that you still take the precautions to heal up as best as you can by seeking out professional opinions.
Finally, make sure to replace your helmet after a crash. The foam may be damaged and in the event of another crash it may not be as effective.
The team at Bay Area Bicycle Law wants injured cyclists to retain a quality of life that resembles their pre-crash life as closely as possible. Working with our expert staff may help ease the strains of health care costs, the time spent missing out on work, and emotional damage and suffering. There’s a lot to worry about in recovery from a brain injury after a crash, calling our office for a free consultation can help alleviate some of the stress. Call (415) 466-8717 today.