head injury – Risk Management 365

Why Is Bicycle Safety So Important?

Bike riding is a lot of fun, but accidents happen. The safest way to use your bike is for transportation, not play. Every year, about 300,000 kids go to the emergency department because of bike injuries, and at least 10,000 kids have injuries that require a few days in the hospital. Some of these injuries are so serious that children die, usually from head injuries.

A head injury can mean brain injury. That’s why it’s so important to wear your bike helmet. Wearing one doesn’t mean you can be reckless, but a helmet will provide some protection for your face, head, and brain in case you fall down.

via Bike Safety.

Concussion in Sports

Fast Facts

A concussion is a brain injury and all are serious.
Most concussions occur without loss of consciousness.
Recognition and proper response to concussions when they first occur can help prevent further injury or even death.

What is a Concussion?

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, or TBI, caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works. Concussions can also occur from a blow to the body that causes the head to move rapidly back and forth. Even a “ding,” “getting your bell rung,” or what seems to be mild bump or blow to the head can be serious.

Concussions can occur in any sport or recreation activity. So, all coaches, parents, and athletes need to learn concussion signs and symptoms and what to do if a concussion occurs.

via CDC – Sports – Concussion – Traumatic Brain Injury – Injury Center.

Concussion in Youth Sports

A concussion is a brain injury. Concussions are caused by a bump or blow to the head. Even a “ding” or what seems to be a mild bump or blow to the head can be serious. You can’t see a concussion. Signs and symptoms of concussion can show up right after the injury or may not appear or be noticed until days or weeks after the injury. If your child reports any symptoms of concussion or if you notice the symptoms yourself, seek medical attention right away.

Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports

via CDC – Family Health – Parents: ABCs of Raising Safe and Healthy Kids.

Motorcycle Safety – Wear a Helmet

Helmets save motorcycle riders’ lives.

Preventing serious injuries and deaths from motorcycle crashes is a major and growing public health concern.

Consider that:

Motorcycle crashes killed 4,502 people in 2010.
Motorcycle-related deaths have increased by 55% since 2000.
Motorcycle crash-related injuries and deaths totaled $12 billion in one year, in medical care costs and productivity losses.

The good news is that riders’—and their passengers’—can protect themselves by wearing helmets. Helmets are estimated to prevent 37 percent of crash deaths among motorcycle riders and 41 percent of crash deaths for motorcycle passengers.

via CDC Features – Motorcycle Safety.

Bicycle Safety

Do not push your child to ride a 2-wheeled bike without training wheels until he or she is ready. Consider the child’s coordination and desire to learn to ride. Stick with coaster (foot) brakes until your child is older and more experienced for hand brakes. Consider a balance bike with no pedals for young children to learn riding skills.
Take your child with you when you shop for the bike, so that he or she can try it out. The value of a properly fitting bike far outweighs the value of surprising your child with a new one. Buy a bike that is the right size, not one your child has to “grow into.” Oversized bikes are especially dangerous.
Your child needs to wear a helmet on every bike ride, no matter how short or how close to home. Many injuries happen in driveways, on sidewalks, and on bike paths, not just on streets. Children learn best by observing you. Set the example: Whenever you ride, put on your helmet.
When purchasing a helmet, look for a label or sticker that says the helmet meets the CPSC safety standard.
A helmet protects your child from serious injury, and should always be worn. And remember, wearing a helmet at all times helps children develop the helmet habit.
A helmet should be worn so that it is level on the head and covers the forehead, not tipped forward or backwards. The strap should be securely fastened with about 2 fingers able to fit between chin and strap.The helmet should be snug on the head, but not overly tight. Skin should move with the helmet when moved side to side. If needed, the helmet’s sizing pads can help improve the fit.

via Summer Safety Tips.

Why Wear a Bicycle Helmet?

It’s a beautiful day for a bike ride. You fill your water bottle, lace up your shoes and head out. The thought of a head injury doesn’t even cross your mind. Still, it’s a risk you’re taking if you don’t wear a bicycle helmet.

Why wear a bicycle helmet?

It’s simple. If you fall from your bike, the bicycle helmet takes the force of the blow — instead of your head. Although collisions with cars or other vehicles are likely to be the most serious, even a low-speed fall on a bicycle path can be dangerous. For kids and adults alike, wearing a bicycle helmet is the most effective way to prevent a life-threatening head injury.

via Bicycle helmet do’s and don’ts – MayoClinic.com.

Skateboarding Safety

Skateboarding can be a fun way for children and adolescents to get exercise. However, an estimated 111,000 kids younger than 18 are treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments for skateboard-related injuries each year. Many of these injuries can be prevented.

Skateboarding Injury Facts: Of those children treated in U.S. emergency departments because of their skateboard-related injuries:

The three most commonly injured body regions are the wrist, ankle and face.
Broken bones, sprains, scrapes and bruises are the most common injuries.

Who is Most at Risk?

Skateboarders who are hit by a motor vehicle have the most serious injuries.
Skateboarders who ride on uneven surfaces have the most fall-related injuries.

Skateboarding Safety Tips

All skateboarders should wear a helmet and other protective gear (such as wrist guards, elbow pads and knee pads).
Teach children to never ride a skateboard in or near traffic.
Check the skating area for holes, bumps and rocks. Smooth surfaces are the safest for skateboarding.
Skateboarding at dusk or after dark can be dangerous. It is safest to skateboard during the day.
Encourage children to ride their skateboard in skateboarding parks.
Children younger than 5 years should not use skateboards, and children 5-10 years should not use skateboards without adult supervision.
Make sure your child wears a helmet to stay legal and safe.
Children riding on ripsticks should follow the same safety tips as children on skateboards.

via Injury Research and Policy Skateboarding Research :: Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio.

American Football: Fears Over Player Safety

Some 100 million Americans will sit down to watch what they call the “greatest show on earth” this weekend – with the very future of a beloved sport apparently in doubt.

The Super Bowl is the showpiece of American Football – last year’s game was the most watched television programme in American history – but a dark shadow looms over the sport.

There is growing evidence that head injuries suffered on the field could be contributing to long-term damage among former players.

Researchers say head trauma from concussions can lead to a degenerative disease called Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), resulting in depression and other psychological effects.

via American Football: Fears Over Player Safety.

What causes a concussion?

Your brain is a soft organ that is surrounded by spinal fluid and protected by your hard skull. Normally, the fluid around your brain acts like a cushion that keeps your brain from banging into your skull. But if your head or your body is hit hard, your brain can crash into your skull and be injured.There are many ways to get a concussion. Some common ways include fights, falls, playground injuries, car crashes, and bike accidents. Concussions can also happen while participating in any sport or activity such as football, boxing, hockey, soccer, skiing, or snowboarding.

via Concussion – WebMD: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention.

What is a Concussion?

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, or TBI, caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works. Concussions can also occur from a fall or a blow to the body that causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth.

Health care professionals may describe a concussion as a “mild” brain injury because concussions are usually not life-threatening. Even so, their effects can be serious.

via CDC – Concussion – Traumatic Brain Injury – Injury Center.