Every person who gets into a bicycle accident at some point or another needs to know about all the injuries from such accidents. It isn’t possible to list every possible injury that might happen as it’s tough to predict what could occur during an accident (and different people get injured in various ways). The list above contains injuries that are probably most common among bicyclists experiencing crashes.
Here is a list of injuries that may occur after bicycle accidents:
1. Cuts and scrapes
These are usually minor but serious if they involve the face, hands, or feet. Sometimes the cuts can become infected and cause problems weeks later. Often these cuts need stitches. If the wound goes all the way through an area (a hole), it may need surgery to fix it right away. If you see something sticking out of your skin, DO NOT PULL IT OUT – get help immediately!
2. Broken bones
The most commonly broken bone is in the wrist (called a Colles fracture). This causes pain and swelling over several days after the accident. Other types of breaks that occur with bicycle accidents include:
a. Broken collar bone – if this occurs, you will not be able to move your arm in toward your body
b. Broken ribs – you may have pain when breathing or coughing
c. Broken ankle – although usually not so serious as a broken leg, it is still treated as a break and can take several months to heal
3. Cracked skull or bleeding on the brain (head injury)
People with these types of injuries are often confused about what happened. They may go into shock quickly. If someone has a head injury, they should see a doctor right away for treatment. Even if the person feels fine initially after an accident, do not drive their car or operate machinery until a doctor has checked them out.
4. Broken jaw
A broken jaw is more complicated than other broken bones because it needs fixing surgery. This means no food or drink until the jaw is healed, which takes about six weeks in most cases. If you break your jaw, you will probably need help taking care of yourself for some time (bathing and getting dressed). You will not be able to move your mouth much and make sounds when you talk by moving your tongue. You will be able to drink if the drink is thin (soup, water, etc.). It is a good idea for you to sleep on your side or with your head turned to one side so that you do not accidentally bite or swallow your tongue while sleeping.
5. Neck injuries
If someone falls over onto their head and neck during a bicycle crash, it can cause serious harm. If they hit hard enough, neck vertebrae may break and pinch nerves in the spinal cord leading down into the arms and legs. Emergency treatment of this type of injury is needed right away. Sometimes surgery is also done after the initial injury has been treated. After an accident like this, it’s usually best for a person to take some time off of work and get medical treatment to aid in their recovery.
6. Open wounds
These are serious injuries that need prompt medical attention. They may be hard to treat if they have dirt or gravel stuck deep inside the injury. After cleaning, suturing (stitching) is usually needed for these types of wounds. Sometimes, it is necessary to surgically open and clean an area within an injury so that infection does not occur months later.
7. Road rash
This type of injury happens when skin gets peeled off by friction against concrete or asphalt during a bicycle accident. Usually, there will be red skin with lots of scabs after this occurs, but sometimes there can be deeper wounds underneath the scabs. If any dirt or gravel is embedded in the wound, it may need to be cleaned out for the skin to heal correctly.
8. Broken collar bone
A fracture of this bone will cause pain and swelling over several days after an accident. This type of injury does not require surgery, but usually, a sling is placed on the arm while it heals. Sometimes even if a collar bone has broken, it can still be OK to ride a bike with this injury as long as you know how to prevent discomfort from riding (by using padding).
9. Broken elbow
The most common way for someone’s elbow to break is from falling on their arm during a bicycle accident while their hand was reaching down for the ground. They will usually need surgery to fix the bone. This type of injury does not require a cast but instead needs the arm to be placed in a sling while it heals up. Sometimes an elbow can heal without needing surgery if no bones are sticking out or are not too badly broken.
10. Broken wrist
A fracture or break of this bone can occur when someone falls directly on their hand during a bicycle accident (so that their weight crushes down on their hand). If this happens, they will probably need surgery to get metal pins put into place to heal correctly with as little pain as possible. Even though this might feel like a severe injury because of all the pain, it usually heals up on its own within a few months without needing surgery.
11. Dizziness
If you feel dizzy after a bicycle accident, you may have suffered from a concussion (or other serious head injuries). It would help if you told your doctor about this symptom as soon as possible after your accident so that they can correctly diagnose what happened. Sometimes simple concussions can cause lasting problems if not appropriately treated with time and rest. Other symptoms of a concussion include nausea, vomiting, constant headaches, and tiredness.
12. Numbness or tingling
These are nerve damage symptoms in the neck area, which happens when there is some trauma to the spine during a bicycle crash. This is a severe injury that usually requires immediate medical attention in surgery or strong medications.
13. Loss of consciousness
This is not good if you have been unconscious (passed out) during your bicycle accident. You may have received a terrible head injury that needs to be treated right away by medical professionals. Even if you haven’t blacked out or passed out after your bike crash, it still might be best for you to see a doctor anyway just so that they can make sure things are OK and no hidden injuries were caused by accident!
14. Loss of consciousness
This is not good if you have been unconscious (passed out) during your bicycle accident. You may have received a terrible head injury that needs to be treated right away by medical professionals. Even if you haven’t blacked out or passed out during your collision with a car, you could still receive a concussion (which can also lead to passing out).
15. Death
If someone dies during their bicycle accident, they can no longer claim money damages against the at-fault driver. If you or your child has been involved in a bike crash where somebody was killed, make sure to speak with an experienced lawyer as soon as possible!
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT CONCUSSION!!!
The main reason someone should get checked out even if they haven’t fallen unconscious after their bicycle accident is because concussions are very dangerous for the health of your brain! If someone has received a trauma, they should not ride their bike again until checked out by a doctor. Riding will put them in danger of getting another concussion while their brain is still healing, which can cause lasting problems with memory and speech. This type of injury is not something to mess around with.
If you are ever in a bicycle accident, it is not wise to move around if possible (unless you have to get away from certain dangers). Many cyclists who have been injured during crashes can tell how they thought moving would be OK at first but then realized that their leg or arm was broken and couldn’t understand why this happened. So again, try not to move your body too much after the crash has occurred until medical professionals arrive on the scene!
One crucial thing for everyone of all ages who gets into bike accidents is to quickly get checked out by someone with experience in handling bicycle accident injuries. Usually, some medical staff can help treat cycling injuries at the site of an accident or even load the cyclist into an ambulance for transport to a local hospital. Whether you have broken bones, internal injuries, or maybe even a concussion, you must seek medical attention so that proper treatment can be given!
It’s also a good idea to contact a bicycle accident attorney if you’ve been involved in an accident. A lawyer can help protect your legal rights and may be able to help you collect compensation for your injuries, lost income, and other expenses from the at-fault party.