Whether it’s the weekend warrior or a professional cyclist, mass cycling events are ever growing in popularity, and whilst encouraged for their numerous exercise health benefits, the risks for injury during the event are always there. The aim of the study was to investigate the risk factors associated with these injuries during the 109km Cape Town Cycle Tour over 3 years. During these 3 years, 102 251 participants started the event, illustrating the popularity of the event and large number of cyclists on a single route during this one day cycling event.

During the 3 years, there were 330 injuries recorded on race day, resulting in approximately 1 in 310 cyclists getting injured. We also had the data regarding the anatomical structures injured, to further specify the regions injured. Using the demographics (age and sex) and race day factors (average cycling speed, and each individual’s average windspeed exposure), the risk factors for injury were investigated.

The main findings in this study were that we could identify four risk factors that are associated with acute traumatic injuries in cyclists as follows:

1. Female sex (all injuries, serious life-threatening injuries, and head / neck, upper limb and injuries to the trunk),
2. Older age (>50 years) (all injuries, and upper limb injuries),
3. Faster average cycling speed (all injuries, upper limb), and
4. Higher average individualised WindSpeed (all injuries, trunk and injuries to the lower limb).

Females and older aged participants are often found to be at a higher risk for injury, however this is usually overuse injuries, and not traumatic injuries (such as these injuries occurring during crashes in a cycling race). Females were associated with a higher risk of injury for all injuries (including the subcategories).

It makes sense that the faster average cycling speed of the participants was a factor increasing their risk of injury, as the faster you cycle, the higher the speed you would enter a crash, resulting in an injury, rather than just falling off your bike.

Interestingly enough, our study was the first to investigate the windspeed, and furthermore, to be able to plot the specific windspeed each participant was exposed to (based on their checkpoint times, and windspeed towers throughout the course). This risk factor of higher windspeeds increasing injuries, again makes sense as it would influence the effect on the rider on their bicycle, and coupled with their cycling speed could cause serious crashes.

Injuries occurring on race day at cycling events put a large strain on race day medical team, as well as are a large burden on the participants. Using these risk factors, future injury prevention programmes can target high-risk groups, as well as assist race organisers prepare better based on race day environmental predictions, or even adjust routes to avoid high wind areas. Injury reduction and injury prevention is imperative in this time where exercise is promoted as the primary preventive measure for non-communicable diseases.

Article: Females, older age, faster cycling speed and increased wind speeds are independent risk factors for acute injury-related medical encounters during a 109km mass community-based participation cycling event: A 3-year study in 102251 race starters - SAFER XII.  Injury Prevention, 2020 Aug 28.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32859646/

Jannelene Killops, Nicola Sewry, Martin Schwellnus, Sonja Swanevelder, Dina C Janse Van Rensburg, Esme Jordaan

Author of Blog: Nicola Sewry is a sport scientist at the Sport, Exercise Medicine and Lifestyle Institute (SEMLI), at the University of Pretoria in South Africa.