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Harvard Health Letter

Injuries are up among older cyclists

Published: October, 2015

Take note if you enjoy going for a bike ride for fun and exercise: the number of injuries and hospital admissions among
older bicycle riders has made a startling jump. A study described Sept. 1, 2015, in The Journal of the American Medical
Association found that from 1998 to 2013, the number of cyclists ages 45 and older seeking treatment for bicycle-related
injuries rose 81%, and the number of hospital admissions among the same group was up 66%. Researchers attribute the
numbers to an increase in older bike riders, more street accidents, and sport cycling. If you want to go for a ride,
remember to wear a helmet to protect your head; make sure your bike is a good t, with an inch or two of clearance
between you and the cross bar; ride in the bike lane, if available; and wear neon and uorescent colors or clothing made
of re ective material, so you'll be visible to drivers.
Image: iStock

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