The dawn of 'lite' chest + spine guards for 'All-Mountain' riders?

Admin Tue Sep 10, 2013 1:25 am

As posted online in the Calgary Herald:

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/calgary/More+safety+gear+urged+cyclists/8890672/story.html

Mountain biking down a trail at Panorama ski resort last month, Calgarian Brian Foster came off a jump, lost control and vaulted through the air. He hit the ground hard, whacking his head and back on the rocky trail. The 59-year-old lawyer fractured ribs, punctured a lung and had damage to a disc in his spine.

The injuries put him in the trauma ward at Foothills Medical Centre for a week, but Foster, who was wearing full safety gear — including a vest with padding for shoulders, arms and spine, gloves and a helmet — said he’s grateful the damage wasn’t worse. “The padding took most of the impact,” Foster said. “If I wasn’t wearing that gear, the injuries could have been much more severe to my spine.”

Trauma surgeons at Foothills Medical Centre who have examined injuries sustained by street cyclists and mountain bikers are urging riders to consider adding chest protection to their protective gear. Dr. Chad Bell, senior author of a new paper on the findings, said the researchers were “disappointed” to see bad head injuries — the No. 1 type of injury in both cycling groups — remain high among riders.

With almost half of injuries to the chest or abdomen, the physicians are also recommending better body armour to reduce potentially traumatic damage. The study, published in the Canadian Journal of Surgery, examined 14 years of injuries using data recorded in the southern Alberta Trauma Database, which tracks patients admitted to Foothills Medical Centre.
Of the 258 severely injured riders, 209 were street cyclists and 49 mountain bikers. All but one of the 17 fatalities were street cyclists.

While mountain cyclists were most often injured falling from embankments or jumps — and were more likely to incur spinal injuries — street riders were more likely to be injured after being hit by a car. Head trauma, the most common injury for both groups, occurred 67 per cent of the time. However, researchers couldn’t say whether the injuries are due to lack of helmet use as that data wasn’t recorded in the registry in a consistent way.

The study found that the average age is 28 for mountain cyclists and 43 for street cyclists, and a whopping 86 per cent of all cycling patients are male. Bob Grunewald, marketing director for Bow Cycle, said determining proper safety gear remains a heated debate in the cycling community, with some riders disputing the need for even a helmet.

Sales of chest protectors, which can cost as much as $300, have tapered off in recent years, he noted. Cyclists must consider a number of factors when outfitting themselves, including their skill level, how the weight of the equipment will affect their handling, and where they’ll be riding, said Grunewald. Ball said while it might not be practical to wear a flak jacket for a spin out on the river pathways in Calgary, it’s something riders should become accustomed to considering before heading out.

Dr. Derek Roberts said common sense is one of the first rules of the road, with cyclists being aware of their surroundings. But safety gear is key, too, he said. “If you do get injured — it can happen, it’s a well-known risk — helmets and chest protection may potentially save your life,” he said.