Mountain bike terrain park-related injuries: an emerging cause of morbidity

Abstract

This case–control study describes the profile of bicyclists injured in mountain bike terrain parks (MBTPs) and examines risk factors for severe injury among MBTP riders. Cases were hospitalised bicyclists injured in MBTPs. Controls were bicyclists injured in MBTPs who were discharged from the emergency department. No significant differences were observed in the distribution of age and sex between cases and controls. A higher proportion of cases compared with controls suffered a head injury (22%), fracture (41%) or internal organ injury (32%). Controls suffered a higher proportion of superficial injuries (26%), sprains (10%) or wounds (16%). Upper extremity protective equipment (e.g. elbow or shoulder pads) was used more by cases than controls (23% vs. 11%, p = 0.03). Riders who self-reported cycling faster than usual had significantly higher risk of severe injury compared with others. The risk of severe injury may be reduced by encouraging bicyclists to control their speed or by modifying MBTP design to limit the opportunity to gain speed.

Keywords:

• bicycling
• wounds and injuries
• epidemiology
• protective devices

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the clinical and research staff at the Alberta Children's, Foothills Medical Centre, Rockyview, and Peter Lougheed hospitals in Calgary. The authors would also like to acknowledge the study research staff and students in Calgary, the Paediatric Emergency Research Team (PERT), the volunteers from the Paediatric Emergency Medicine Research Associates Program (PEMRAP) at the Alberta Children's Hospital, and the emergency medicine research assistants at the Foothills Medical Centre. Dr. Brent Hagel holds the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation Professorship in Child Health and Wellness, funded through the support of an anonymous donor and the Canadian National Railway Company, as well as the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Population Health Investigator and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) New Investigator Awards. Dr. Rowe is supported as a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Evidence-Based Emergency Medicine from the CIHR through the Government of Canada (Ottawa, ON).