Cyclist injuries leading to long-term consequences are common and therefore important to identify in order to design a more sustainable road transport system. Previous research has showed that almost 70% of all impairing injuries were to the upper and lower extremities. The most common injuries to the upper extremities were to the shoulder and the wrist (AIS 2). The aim of this study was to investigate injury mechanisms leading to shoulder injuries in single-bicycle crashes in Sweden. In total 37 cyclists (8 females and 29 males) that sustained shoulder injuries and who seek medical care at University Hospital of Northern Sweden during the period 2010 to 2013 were included. While the injury data were obtained from hospital records, each patient was interviewed by telephone to obtain additional information regarding the subject’s cycling habits, as well as details in the pre-crash and crash phases. Most of the crashes (16/37) occurred on surfaces with low friction, such as ice or gravel, and 80% (30/37) reported not braking prior to the crash. Approximately 40% (15/37) of the cyclists sustained fractures of the clavicle. In 90% of the cases (33/37) the injury to the shoulder was a result of a fall onto the shoulder or from a direct hit of the clavicle. Falling onto an outstretched hand only occurred in one case. 23 subjects reported falling to the side, which resulted in a straight hit on the shoulder, and further 7 hit the rear part of the shoulder, 5 of which fell over the handlebar. Traditional prevention of cyclist injuries has been focused on helmet wearing. However, the findings in the present study indicate a need for other strategies to also prevent other injuries, especially to the upper extremities. (Author/publisher)
Abstract