Your Health
Helmet Safety
By Paul Jensen, MD
It's summertime! Time to get those bicycles out and go riding. Whether it is for transportation, exercise, or just plain fun, a bicycle is a great way to enjoy the outdoors. With gas at over $3 per gallon, this is also a great way to save money and get some exercise while going to work or running errands.
Just remember to enjoy the outdoors with your helmet on. Every year about 550,000 bicyclists visit emergency rooms with injuries and about 800 of those die. Two-thirds of those deaths are due to brain injury. But it is estimated that 88 percent of bicyclist brain injuries can be prevented by wearing a helmet. These figures apply to adults as well as children.
Please remember that the brain is not able to heal very well from an injury, unlike a broken arm. It is crucial to prevent the injury in the first place.
Don't forget to wear a helmet for horseback riding or for "wheeled sports" such as skateboarding, rollerblading, motorcycling, and when using all-terrain vehicles. Remember, I'd like to meet you out on the trail, not in the emergency room! Have a fun and safe summer!
For more information regarding helmet safety, please contact your health care professional at the Cresco Medical Clinic 563-547-2022, toll free 1-888-547-5474, or the Lime Springs Medical Clinic at 563-566-2243, toll free 1.800.593.5463.
Cresco Medical Clinic
321 8th Avenue West
Cresco, IA 52136