Helmets cramp my style
#3076
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Beaverton, Oregon
Posts: 1,914
Bikes: Rans Stratus, Trek 1420, Rivendell Rambouillet
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
For the record, I had a concussion, was semi-conscious with memory loss for about 45 minutes, and had virtigo for the weekend which lessened over the next months. The CT scan came back negative for intra-cranial bleeding, contusion, subdural hematoma, etc. I was able to get back to cycling about two months after the accident, and commuting about three months post-accident. There is no residual damage to my brain, and the fact that I am currently in a MSPH program and have made some "A" grades shows that the neural functions are still there. The trauma doctor told me that it would have been much worse without the helmet. I do have a residual lump on my right hip, and had loss of sensation there for years afterward; the hemotoma on my hip had to be drained every week for over a month, and the hip was the second body part to impact the ground (my head was the first). This is direct evidence that if I had not been wearing a helmet an extremely hazardous brain injury would have been highly probable.
John
#3077
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 6,401
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
13 Posts
Closetbiker, you seem to think that a helmet has not worked if it lessens the injury potential in a crash situation, but the person still goes away with a concussion. A concussion is much better than a contusion. A contusion can be life-threatening, as can a subdural hemotoma and a skull fracture. If the helmet prevented the worse injury, has it failed by your standard if a person does have a concussion?
For the record, I had a concussion, was semi-conscious with memory loss for about 45 minutes, and had virtigo for the weekend which lessened over the next months. The CT scan came back negative for intra-cranial bleeding, contusion, subdural hematoma, etc. I was able to get back to cycling about two months after the accident, and commuting about three months post-accident. There is no residual damage to my brain, and the fact that I am currently in a MSPH program and have made some "A" grades shows that the neural functions are still there. The trauma doctor told me that it would have been much worse without the helmet. I do have a residual lump on my right hip, and had loss of sensation there for years afterward; the hemotoma on my hip had to be drained every week for over a month, and the hip was the second body part to impact the ground (my head was the first). This is direct evidence that if I had not been wearing a helmet an extremely hazardous brain injury would have been highly probable.
John
For the record, I had a concussion, was semi-conscious with memory loss for about 45 minutes, and had virtigo for the weekend which lessened over the next months. The CT scan came back negative for intra-cranial bleeding, contusion, subdural hematoma, etc. I was able to get back to cycling about two months after the accident, and commuting about three months post-accident. There is no residual damage to my brain, and the fact that I am currently in a MSPH program and have made some "A" grades shows that the neural functions are still there. The trauma doctor told me that it would have been much worse without the helmet. I do have a residual lump on my right hip, and had loss of sensation there for years afterward; the hemotoma on my hip had to be drained every week for over a month, and the hip was the second body part to impact the ground (my head was the first). This is direct evidence that if I had not been wearing a helmet an extremely hazardous brain injury would have been highly probable.
John
IMO, people commonly and severely underestimate the resilience of the brain and skull.
#3078
Senior Member
John and I really do agree much more than we disagree, and not the least amongst our agreements is that a helmet as a piece of PPE, is the least effective means of injury prevention.
Take a look at this video and consider, this particular area has amongst the least amount of head injuries to cyclists in the world
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj8uz...eature=related
Too much attention is being paid to one of the least effective means to achieve an end and much of that effort detracts from what should be the real goal. Cyclist safety. That doesn't necessarily mean a cyclist should make wearing a helmet a priority.
Take a look at this video and consider, this particular area has amongst the least amount of head injuries to cyclists in the world
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj8uz...eature=related
Too much attention is being paid to one of the least effective means to achieve an end and much of that effort detracts from what should be the real goal. Cyclist safety. That doesn't necessarily mean a cyclist should make wearing a helmet a priority.
Last edited by closetbiker; 05-15-08 at 08:15 AM.
#3079
Senior Member
The bold part is where you go wrong. You really have no way way of knowing what would have happened without the helmet. You believe that it protected you, but there are people who believe the moon landing was faked.
IMO, people commonly and severely underestimate the resilience of the brain and skull.
IMO, people commonly and severely underestimate the resilience of the brain and skull.
The mechanisms of brain injury are not consistent with John's belief and if we're pulling out personal anecdotes here, my wife's cousin and a friend at work told me a story each about their concussion's they received while riding their bikes. Both stories were remarkably alike except for one difference. One had a helmet on and one didn't. The one who was wearing a helmet is absolutely convinced the helmet did it's job and saved him from worse injury, while the one who wasn't wearing a helmet thought maybe if he had been wearing one he wouldn't have received the injury he did. It's impossible to reason with either about it because they are emotionally involved, but if one is detached and understands the mechanisms of concussion and what the limits of a helmet are, it's a different situation to determine what difference a helmet makes in their scenario.
#3080
Metalhead
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Iowa City, IA
Posts: 110
Bikes: Surly Steamroller 2008, 70s fuji fixed conversion, 2007 Giant TCR, 2005 Gary Fisher Tassajara
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
That's a cool video. I wish ******* were more like that. Thing is, I kind of like being one of the only guys biking on a rainy day, all the people in cars give me looks, like that guy is crazy, or I wish I had that kind of motivation...etc. When you don't own a car, there's no choice. As for cycling safety, if people would ride with more awareness and more caution, the likelyhood of accident goes down. That's not to say that an accident won't happen. Amsterdam has a very cyclist friendly urban design with wide bike lanes, almost like another car lane by the looks of it. I only wish Amerrrika would make more of a transition to such a lifestyle. But the liberal goons over here would probably mandate wearing a helmet EVERYWHERE. Hey I don't want to wear a helmet for my one mile ride to the store to pick a few groceries. But no, they would make you wear one because it's safer, wah!
#3081
Senior Member
I don't know if they're liberal goons, just more like they're uninformed about a helmets role in reducing injury.
I think most areas that legislate helmet use do so because they think they will reduce serious injury and death. I doubt they believe that people should be forced to do something against their will simply to reduce cuts, bumps and bruises.
In areas that have rejected proposed legislation of helmets, there has been the recognition that it's the impacts with motor vehicles that have caused the serious injury and deaths to cyclists and that bicycle helmets are ineffective in such impacts.
If people were serious about reducing injury, they'd clamp down on irresponsible road use but in America (and up here in Canada and I'm guessing Australia) that's not going to fly because then drivers will start to complain about how good they drive and they'll claim they don't need further restrictions on their behavior so instead, they look to other "solutions" that don't help much.
I think most areas that legislate helmet use do so because they think they will reduce serious injury and death. I doubt they believe that people should be forced to do something against their will simply to reduce cuts, bumps and bruises.
In areas that have rejected proposed legislation of helmets, there has been the recognition that it's the impacts with motor vehicles that have caused the serious injury and deaths to cyclists and that bicycle helmets are ineffective in such impacts.
If people were serious about reducing injury, they'd clamp down on irresponsible road use but in America (and up here in Canada and I'm guessing Australia) that's not going to fly because then drivers will start to complain about how good they drive and they'll claim they don't need further restrictions on their behavior so instead, they look to other "solutions" that don't help much.
Last edited by closetbiker; 05-15-08 at 11:48 AM.
#3082
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 33
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
One of the shameful things about this argument -- and here I won't make any comments regarding either side's propositions -- is that some of the participants are slinging mud. That's just a lousy way to argue: the person under attack is smeared and the attacker's argument is weakened. Comparing people to nazis and making comments like, "and people believe the moon landing was faked" ... Come on.
At least John isn't going out of his way to insult you guys. And from the recent posts I've read neither is ClosetBiker.
At least John isn't going out of his way to insult you guys. And from the recent posts I've read neither is ClosetBiker.
#3083
Senior Member
I guess we each have a different perspective on that.
I'd say John has been tremendously insulting at times, has gone out of his way to personalize the issue, has posted complete fabrications and labeled some as being anti-helmet when it's clear they're not.
I'm sure I've offended others too, but it's all in how someone reads things into a comment rather than the intention with which the comment was delivered.
Keep in mind this is just a message board. Don't take things in and let them get too close to the heart and you'll live a little easier.
I'd say John has been tremendously insulting at times, has gone out of his way to personalize the issue, has posted complete fabrications and labeled some as being anti-helmet when it's clear they're not.
I'm sure I've offended others too, but it's all in how someone reads things into a comment rather than the intention with which the comment was delivered.
Keep in mind this is just a message board. Don't take things in and let them get too close to the heart and you'll live a little easier.
Last edited by closetbiker; 05-15-08 at 12:24 PM.
#3084
<user defined text>
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 417
Bikes: 80's peugeot. Somewhat knackered. Lovely new Salsa Casseroll singlespeed.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
(I vaguely remember reading somewhere that since Holland started introducing more cycle lanes and facilities accident rates between bikes and cars had got worse. But I can't remember where I read it, and it could well be anecdotal and / or a only a correlation rather than causation. )
#3085
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 6,401
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
13 Posts
One of the shameful things about this argument -- and here I won't make any comments regarding either side's propositions -- is that some of the participants are slinging mud. That's just a lousy way to argue: the person under attack is smeared and the attacker's argument is weakened. Comparing people to nazis and making comments like, "and people believe the moon landing was faked" ... Come on.
At least John isn't going out of his way to insult you guys. And from the recent posts I've read neither is ClosetBiker.
At least John isn't going out of his way to insult you guys. And from the recent posts I've read neither is ClosetBiker.
#3086
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Beaverton, Oregon
Posts: 1,914
Bikes: Rans Stratus, Trek 1420, Rivendell Rambouillet
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The bold part is where you go wrong. You really have no way way of knowing what would have happened without the helmet. You believe that it protected you, but there are people who believe the moon landing was faked.
IMO, people commonly and severely underestimate the resilience of the brain and skull.
IMO, people commonly and severely underestimate the resilience of the brain and skull.
By the way, I was on one of the Apollo 13 rescue crews in the USAF (it came down in the wrong ocean ), and it wasn't faked.
Believe what you want, the evidence points in a different direction, Six jours.
John
#3087
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Beaverton, Oregon
Posts: 1,914
Bikes: Rans Stratus, Trek 1420, Rivendell Rambouillet
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
John and I really do agree much more than we disagree, and not the least amongst our agreements is that a helmet as a piece of PPE, is the least effective means of injury prevention.
Take a look at this video and consider, this particular area has amongst the least amount of head injuries to cyclists in the world
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj8uz...eature=related
Too much attention is being paid to one of the least effective means to achieve an end and much of that effort detracts from what should be the real goal. Cyclist safety. That doesn't necessarily mean a cyclist should make wearing a helmet a priority.
Take a look at this video and consider, this particular area has amongst the least amount of head injuries to cyclists in the world
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj8uz...eature=related
Too much attention is being paid to one of the least effective means to achieve an end and much of that effort detracts from what should be the real goal. Cyclist safety. That doesn't necessarily mean a cyclist should make wearing a helmet a priority.
Concerning the You Tube feature on Holland, we could only wish for something like that. Here, we have more than a few uptight, road-raged drivers who feel that they can do anything and get away with it. We also do not have the numbers of cyclists shown here. If we did, it would be another story. Today, it is almost 90 degrees out for the first time this spring, and people are out and walking, driving, and a few bicycling. On my ride home from work today, I probably saw a dozen or so cyclist; if this had been Holland, the number would have been in the hundreds or more. Too bad too, as I have a coworker with probably diabetes, just diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy, and about 30 or more pounds overweight. Too many people are buying the auto industry's ads about how sexy cars are. Maybe someone should show that other side Closetbiker was talking about.
John
#3088
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 6,401
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
13 Posts
When my head hit the pavement harder than my hip, and my hip had permanent damage from skin torn away from the underlying tissue, a huge hemotoma which had to be drained for over a month, and still has that residual lump, this direct evidence says that the helmet mitigated the most dire effects of the hit my head took to the pavement.
By the way, I was on one of the Apollo 13 rescue crews in the USAF (it came down in the wrong ocean ), and it wasn't faked.
Believe what you want, the evidence points in a different direction, Six jours.
John
By the way, I was on one of the Apollo 13 rescue crews in the USAF (it came down in the wrong ocean ), and it wasn't faked.
Believe what you want, the evidence points in a different direction, Six jours.
John
#3089
Senior Member
what I don't get is how someone thinks a slight reduction to an impact to the outside of a head determines the movement of the internal structures within. It's not even necessary to receive a blow to your head for the internal structures to twist within.
#3090
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 6,401
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
13 Posts
For me, it's the folks who claim that even the slightest amount of damage to a helmet indicates a "save" from severe injury or death. There was one gal in particular who frequented the SoCal forum and was convinced her helmet saved her life because, after a fall, she found a pebble embedded in the foam. "Imagine how much force that took!!!" was her story. She seemed like a nice-enough person, so I refrained from pointing out that I could stick a pebble into foam with finger pressure but don't have nearly enough strength to force one into my skull.
Folks seem to think bike helmets have almost magical life-saving properties.
Folks seem to think bike helmets have almost magical life-saving properties.
#3091
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Beaverton, Oregon
Posts: 1,914
Bikes: Rans Stratus, Trek 1420, Rivendell Rambouillet
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
For me, it's the folks who claim that even the slightest amount of damage to a helmet indicates a "save" from severe injury or death. There was one gal in particular who frequented the SoCal forum and was convinced her helmet saved her life because, after a fall, she found a pebble embedded in the foam. "Imagine how much force that took!!!" was her story. She seemed like a nice-enough person, so I refrained from pointing out that I could stick a pebble into foam with finger pressure but don't have nearly enough strength to force one into my skull.
Folks seem to think bike helmets have almost magical life-saving properties.
Folks seem to think bike helmets have almost magical life-saving properties.
John
#3092
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 6,401
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
13 Posts
Okay, Six jours, you're on--take a pebble and stick it in the foam with finger power only. I just tried it on an old helmet, and got an indentation, but no "sticking." Remember, a pebble is a rounded rock ground upon by water, so that it does not have sharp corners. So find an old helmet, and stick it (the pebble) to it with finger power. I think you are going to be surprised.
John
John
Is it cheating to use my thumb, or will you consider it a "finger"?
#3093
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Beaverton, Oregon
Posts: 1,914
Bikes: Rans Stratus, Trek 1420, Rivendell Rambouillet
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
It's the principal of deceleration from physics that is in play here. This "slight reduction" can be the difference between the brain impacting the inside of the skull and other internal bony structures of the head with sufficient force to injure it or not, or to lessen the extent of the injuries. These injuries can be a tear (contusion or laceration) the brain structure, or hit the inside hard enough on the impact side for a subdural hemotoma, or a wave reaction that hits the opposite side of the skull for a contracoupe impact. The crushing of the foam material can be enough to reduce these forces to within survivable ranges. That is what we are talking about, and I really don't understand why this has to be repeatedly pointed out to you?
The principal is the same one that allowed the US Mars Pathfinder spacecraft to successfully land on Mars, using air cushions. The force is spread over a wider area, thereby lessoning the force applied directly to any one area of either the skull or the spacecraft, and the cushioning allows deceleration to occur within survivable limits for either the person with a helmet, or a spacecraft with sensitive instruments. See:
https://www.space.com/scienceastronom...gs_000707.html
Your last statement is true, and is especially apparent in "shaken baby syndrome." The forces are such that the brain moves violently within the skull, and suffers brain contusions and or lacerations, or worse. This kind of shaking is a repeated shaking (for shaken baby syndrome) which sets up resonances (waves in the brain matter that hit other waves, forming a much higher single wave) which pile up and strike the internal structures of the skull. These kinds of forces would be more likely to occur in an un-helmeted than in a helmeted individual if it is from striking the ground precisely because the forces of deceleration are greater in un-helmeted cyclists.
John
#3094
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Beaverton, Oregon
Posts: 1,914
Bikes: Rans Stratus, Trek 1420, Rivendell Rambouillet
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I tried with two thumbs, and could not do it. But then again, I'm just an ol' man. Try it and see.
By the way, I tried it on an old Bell helmet with a plastic shell (not on the shell, but only on the foam).
John
By the way, I tried it on an old Bell helmet with a plastic shell (not on the shell, but only on the foam).
John
Last edited by John C. Ratliff; 05-15-08 at 11:21 PM.
#3095
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Beaverton, Oregon
Posts: 1,914
Bikes: Rans Stratus, Trek 1420, Rivendell Rambouillet
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
This comes from looking at the injuries I did sustain, the probability (again from an analysis of the injuries and the damage to my bicycle, which was minimal) that my head impacted first, the severe injury to my hip (no breaks, just skin separated from underlying tissue, and I mean completely separated, but without a tear completely through in the skin, just road rash), and the helmet damage. Had my head suffered the same kind of hemotoma that my hip suffered, I don't think I'd be writing this right now.
By the way, the hip damage could have been mitigated by using hip protection, like is used by football players routinely. We had a very nice tree-jump suit in the USAF Pararescue and in US Forest Service Smokejumping that would preclude this kind of injury to my hip, but is pretty impractical for cycling.
John
Last edited by John C. Ratliff; 05-15-08 at 11:19 PM.
#3096
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 6,401
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times
in
13 Posts
I can't find any "approved" pebbles. So I'll get back to you.
Your hip tends to have your complete body weight behind it. That is to say, there's nothing allowing your hip to flex out of the way and minimize an impact. Your hip is also not hard-wired to protect itself at any cost. Your brain is willing to let it "take the hit". Your brain, however, is going to look out for number one and do everything possible to minimize forces at the skull. And your neck, of course, allows the head to move relatively freely, which itself minimizes impact forces.
Short version: extrapolating impact forces to your head by looking at the severity of a hip injury is silly.
Your hip tends to have your complete body weight behind it. That is to say, there's nothing allowing your hip to flex out of the way and minimize an impact. Your hip is also not hard-wired to protect itself at any cost. Your brain is willing to let it "take the hit". Your brain, however, is going to look out for number one and do everything possible to minimize forces at the skull. And your neck, of course, allows the head to move relatively freely, which itself minimizes impact forces.
Short version: extrapolating impact forces to your head by looking at the severity of a hip injury is silly.
#3097
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Beaverton, Oregon
Posts: 1,914
Bikes: Rans Stratus, Trek 1420, Rivendell Rambouillet
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
It has been quite some time since I posted my photos of that helmet. Six jours has been saying that helmets that have saved lives with just a pebble sticking in them really are questionable stories. I think that my helmet will show a bit more damage than that. Remember that my head was in it, and that the helmet did completely fail, but not before it had done its main job. I did receive a secondary hit, which caused three staples to be applied to the top of my head's laceration. The funny thing was that, when I pressed on the center staple, I got vertigo. I told the doctor this on the Monday exam (the accident occurred on Friday, which is why I don't ride on Fridays anymore), he said "The staples are coming out," and removed all three of them. Here are the photos:
This is how the helmet looked after I took it out of the plastic bag I received it in from the hospital.
I taped it together so that we could see where the fractures occurred.
This shows the helmet from the bottom, with the foam thicknesses after impact described.
This was the foam piece over the right ear and temple area, and shows dramatically the amount of compression that took place.
John
This is how the helmet looked after I took it out of the plastic bag I received it in from the hospital.
I taped it together so that we could see where the fractures occurred.
This shows the helmet from the bottom, with the foam thicknesses after impact described.
This was the foam piece over the right ear and temple area, and shows dramatically the amount of compression that took place.
John
#3098
Out fishing with Annie on his lap, a cigar in one hand and a ginger ale in the other, watching the sunset.
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: South Florida
Posts: 16,057
Bikes: Techna Wheelchair and a Sun EZ 3 Recumbent Trike
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 22 Times
in
17 Posts
As it happens, I had a pretty nasty crash Saturday, with a 25+ MPH impact with the road: A Picture paints a thousand words. My helmet did a nice job of attenuating the impact. The interior is pretty busted up, but better the helmet than my skull
Didn't help my hip or shoulder much, I'm in a sling, and temporarily on a cane, but given how hard I hit, the Dr pretty much told me I'd be in the hospital in the Neurotrauma unit if I wasn't wearing one with a likely skull fracture and likely brain injury. Not as nasty looking as John's helmet, but in both cases, I think our helmets saved us from serious head injuries.
Didn't help my hip or shoulder much, I'm in a sling, and temporarily on a cane, but given how hard I hit, the Dr pretty much told me I'd be in the hospital in the Neurotrauma unit if I wasn't wearing one with a likely skull fracture and likely brain injury. Not as nasty looking as John's helmet, but in both cases, I think our helmets saved us from serious head injuries.
__________________
. “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”- Fredrick Nietzsche
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant
. “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”- Fredrick Nietzsche
"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant
#3099
Senior Member
Closetbiker,
It's the principal of deceleration from physics that is in play here. This "slight reduction" can be the difference between the brain impacting the inside of the skull and other internal bony structures of the head with sufficient force to injure it or not, or to lessen the extent of the injuries...
Your last statement is true, and is especially apparent in "shaken baby syndrome." ... These kinds of forces would be more likely to occur in an un-helmeted than in a helmeted individual if it is from striking the ground precisely because the forces of deceleration are greater in un-helmeted cyclists.
John
It's the principal of deceleration from physics that is in play here. This "slight reduction" can be the difference between the brain impacting the inside of the skull and other internal bony structures of the head with sufficient force to injure it or not, or to lessen the extent of the injuries...
Your last statement is true, and is especially apparent in "shaken baby syndrome." ... These kinds of forces would be more likely to occur in an un-helmeted than in a helmeted individual if it is from striking the ground precisely because the forces of deceleration are greater in un-helmeted cyclists.
John
Last edited by closetbiker; 05-16-08 at 07:56 AM.
#3100
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 33
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts