This week’s news from Dr. Obvious: Mountain biking is dangerous
- Details
- Created on Tuesday, 19 October 2010 15:03
- Written by R. Scott Rappold
If you’ve ever seen a mountain biker bombing down the Chutes, jumped out of the way and thought, “Damn, that looks dangerous!”, you’re right.
A new study shows helmets do little to prevent serious spinal injury, a major risk in mountain-biking accidents.
From MSNBC:
High speeds, extreme terrain and long vertical drops might be making the increasingly popular sport of mountain biking as risky as football, diving and cheerleading, suggests a new study.
The findings warn that taking two wheels to the trails invites the danger of a spinal injury. One of every six cases reviewed was severe enough to result in complete paralysis.
“People need to know that the activities they choose to engage in may carry with them unique and specific risks,” Dr. Marcel Dvorak, of the University of British Columbia in Canada, told Reuters Health by email. “Helmets will not protect you from these injuries, nor will wearing Ninja Turtle-like body armor.”
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