Cycling UK Forum

https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/hampsh ... g-16913565

It's the magic helmet - wearing one? You would have been dead without it. Not wearing one? A helmet would have prevented you scraping your knee.

No detail, of course, on the circumstances of the accident. Was the bike maintained properly?

Don’t know what you’re trying to say but in this case the helmet almost certainly prevented more serious injury.

Had a high speed fall last Sunday myself. People riding behind didn’t expect me to be conscious, I didn’t even think I’d knocked my head at all. The only injuries I was complaining about were cuts to shoulder, hands, and both legs. Then I saw my helmet was cracked inside. Next day I had a large bruise over and around my right eye and lots of bruising under my hair. The only injuries preventing my ride today are the wounds on my right knee, shoulder and hip, the latter two are basically friction burns.

softlips wrote:Don’t know what you’re trying to say but in this case the helmet almost certainly prevented more serious injury.

Had a high speed fall last Sunday myself. People riding behind didn’t expect me to be conscious, I didn’t even think I’d knocked my head at all. The only injuries I was complaining about were cuts to shoulder, hands, and both legs. Then I saw my helmet was cracked inside. Next day I had a large bruise over and around my right eye and lots of bruising under my hair. The only injuries preventing my ride today are the wounds on my right knee, shoulder and hip, the latter two are basically friction burns.

So the mystery is why mass helmet wearing does not demonstrably reduce head injuries to cyclists.

Couldn't we copy and paste another thread here, perhaps?

Was the crack due to some previous damage to the helmet causing a weak point in the structure?

Woman suffers head injury.
https://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/1 ... 0/?ref=rss
She would have been fine if she'd been wearing a helmet.

<yawn>

Audax67 wrote:<yawn>

I have a tip which may spare you boredom and help keep you awake:
if a posting is under the heading "helmets sub-forum" don't click on it.

Some of us use the 'unread posts' function and might on occasion wish that they had taken that more literally

Bonefishblues wrote:Some of us use the 'unread posts' function and might on occasion wish that they had taken that more literally

I'm wondering about the concussion here.

Earlier this month I did a stupid thing: whilst cutting the hedge I stepped backwards off a stepladder when I thought I was at the bottom rung. I wasn't. I fell about a metre, landing flat on my back and banging my head on the ground.

I was not wearing a h*lm*t.

I definitely suffered from concussion - felt very dizzy that night and went to the hospital for a scan (CT - not MRI) the following morning, which showed no internal problems. Also hurt my back. They checked me over and then sent me home, told me to rest.

Now, three weeks later, I'm still in some pain. I'm able to cycle short distances though. I consulted an osteopath, and he told me to definitely keep on cycling - if I can.

So: general - and serious - question. Does a helmet help to prevent concussion? I thought its main purpose was to prevent more serious trauma like a fractured skull or serious lacerations. Concussion is caused by a sudden acceleration of the brain tissue within its casing. You still get that acceleration even if protected by a lid. Newton's Third Law.

Hi

Does a helmet help to prevent concussion?

https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=132603
Regards
tim-b

661-Pete wrote:I'm wondering about the concussion here.

Earlier this month I did a stupid thing: whilst cutting the hedge I stepped backwards off a stepladder when I thought I was at the bottom rung. I wasn't. I fell about a metre, landing flat on my back and banging my head on the ground.

I was not wearing a h*lm*t.

I definitely suffered from concussion - felt very dizzy that night and went to the hospital for a scan (CT - not MRI) the following morning, which showed no internal problems. Also hurt my back. They checked me over and then sent me home, told me to rest.

Now, three weeks later, I'm still in some pain. I'm able to cycle short distances though. I consulted an osteopath, and he told me to definitely keep on cycling - if I can.

So: general - and serious - question. Does a helmet help to prevent concussion? I thought its main purpose was to prevent more serious trauma like a fractured skull or serious lacerations. Concussion is caused by a sudden acceleration of the brain tissue within its casing. You still get that acceleration even if protected by a lid. Newton's Third Law.

Iff... the helmet crushes, and therefore extends the duration of the deceleration of the skull then it might allow the brain to hit it whilst the skull is still moving and therefore lower the force dramatically.
However, they tend not to crush.

In your case, it might have done - the energy is a bit higher than they are designed for, but not extraordinarily so.

Difficult to know what has happened in an individual case, but I wonder whether the helmet a) actually did anything to reduce his injuries, e.g. did it slip away from the point of impact; or b) might it actually have caused the brain bleed by catching on the ground or whatever and spinning his head increasing rotational forces?