1. Friction burns in cyclists: An under-recognised problem.
- Author
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Tracy, Lincoln M., Gabbe, Belinda J., and Beck, Ben
- Subjects
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FRICTION , *SKIN grafting , *CYCLISTS , *PROTECTIVE clothing , *HELMETS , *CYCLING , *CHEMICAL burns , *DEBRIDEMENT - Abstract
• Cycling is a multi-purpose global activity that can result in friction burns (abrasions or "road rash"). • Little is known about these injuries, as they are often overshadowed by concurrent traumatic or orthopaedic injuries. • Our study design allowed for a robust assessment of cycling-related friction burns in patients admitted to specialist burn services. • More than half of the cycling-related friction burns occurred in children (< 16 years), and almost three quarters involved a non-collision event. • Increasing awareness about cycling-related falls may be a more effective prevention strategy than using protective clothing. Cycling-related friction burns, also known as abrasions or "road rash", can occur when cyclists are involved in a fall or a collision. However, less is known about this type of injury as they are often overshadowed by concurrent traumatic and/or orthopaedic injuries. The aims of this project were to describe the nature and severity of friction burns in cyclists admitted to hospitals with specialist burn services in Australia and New Zealand. A review of cycling-related friction burns recorded by the Burns Registry of Australia and New Zealand was undertaken. Summary statistics described demographic, injury event and severity, and in-hospital management data for this cohort of patients. Between July 2009 and June 2021, 143 cycling-related friction burn admissions were identified (accounting for 0.4% of all burns admissions during the study period). Seventy-six percent of patients with a cycling-related friction burn were male, and the median (interquartile range) of patients was 14 (5–41) years. The greatest proportion of cycling-related friction burns were attributed to non-collision events, namely falls (44% of all cases) and body parts being caught or coming into contact with the bicycle (27% of all cases). Although 89% of patients had a burn affecting less than five percent of their body, 71% of patients underwent a burn wound management procedure in theatre such as debridement and/or skin grafting. In summary, friction burns in cyclists admitted to participating services were rare. Despite this, there remains opportunities to better understand these events to inform the development of interventions to reduce burn injury in cyclists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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