[mandasol]

I turn 35 this month, and I haven't gotten on my mountain bike in a while. I thought I would take it easy and goof around a little on my mountain bike and get a rest day from road riding.

I'm probably a little too old to be jumping curbs and speed bumbs. Well I come crashing down due to my own overconfidence on my head and side, thank goodness for helmets. I have some road rash on my arm, nothing I hadn't experienced before, so I just get back up and keep biking. When I finish my ride and take my helmet off I see that it cracked all the way through in a few places. My wife is concerned, but I blow it off. Several hours later I'm dizzy, nauseous and I have trouble remembering my home address.

I go to the emergency room get a CT scan, a tetnus shot, some other shot for the swelling, and something for the nausea. The CT scan came back fine, though the doctor recommended I take a few days rest. I'm a little concerned that I looked right into the lazer of the scanner, I only noticed the sign that said do not look into lazers as I was coming out of the machine. Anyway, it's been two days since the fall and I'm still a little dizzy, and my stomach hurts a little(?).

I plan on taking a few more days off the bike, maybe I'll ride on the trainer a little starting tomorrow. I need to get a new helmet though, and I think I'll stick to keeping my wheels planted on the ground from now on.

Anyone else get a head injury from biking? How long did it take to recover, or at least for the dizziness to go away completly?

 

[culdeus]

sounds like you have a garden variety concussion. 1-3 weeks and you'll be ok.

 

[JohnnyTooBad]

That's called a concussion.

I'm no Dr., so I don't know what you should do next, but I am surprised the Dr in the ER didn't give you a little more info.

time for you to do a web search.

 

[Kuma601]

Happy the helmet did its job...looks like a Bell Sweep?

A others mentioned, sounds like a concussion. Rest and in 1-3 weeks you'll be good. If you have doubts, go back and have the doc explain your symptoms and what you can or should do.

 

[mandasol]

Happy the helmet did its job...looks like a Bell Sweep?

Good eye. Bell Sweep R. I just got it a few months ago. After this fall though I'm wondering if I should stay with an ultralight helmet. It did it's job, but just wondered if a sturdier helmet would be better, or worse for that matter.

 

[Kenacycle]

Any safety approved cycling helmet will protect you. Being sturdier doesn't mean it would be better as a helmet is design to take the impact and crack if necessary to absorb the impact for you. If it's too sturdy it may just transfer more shock to your head than for it to absorb it.

Do take note that there is a life span of a helmet. The foam will age and degrade and not be as effective in taking a hit as it was when it was new. I would say any helmet that's over 5 years of use should be replaced.

 

[PJ352]

I had a similar experience. Dog ran out and nailed the front end of my bike, sending the brake pads upwards onto the tire. As you know, they don't normally go there and when they do, you stop FAST! So, over the bars I went, cracked collerbone and helmet. Went to the ER and got a CT scan - showed nothing. Went home, passed out twice, went back to ER and got 2nd CT scan - showed nothing. But the doc said it could still be a mild concussion. So much for CT scans.

The inside of my Giro Monza helmet cracked as well. I chalked it up to the helmet doing its job and often wonder where I'd be if I hadn't worn one.

Till you feel more stable, stay off the bike for a few days. And it wouldn't hurt to have someone around.

 

[JCavilia]

this is not the place to ask for advice

every head injury is different. Your brain got jarred. Nobody here can tell you what to do about it. Pay attention to all your symptoms, and if any of them get worse, or if they don't improve steadily, or if any new ones show up, get back to the doctor and keep asking questions. If you've got decent health insurance, go to a specialist (neurologist) if things don't get better fast.

Good luck. Glad you were wearing the helmet. Imagine if the energy that smashed that thing had all been absorbed by your skull. I'm a firm believer. A couple of years ago I went down 10 miles into a hilly century. Banged up my shoulder, road rash on arm and knee, dinged the bike a bit, and tore up my clothes, but I finished the ride with a tolerable pain level. I didn't remove my helmet until the end, only to discover it was cracked, and the foam crushed to about half the original thickness in one place. I hadn't even known that my head had hit the road.

 

[naawillis]

yeah, been there. good to have one on when you need it. heres my cracked helmet thread with more pics.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=307581

 

[mandasol]

yeah, been there. good to have one on when you need it. heres my cracked helmet thread with more pics.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=307581

Thanks to your thread, I saw someone post about crash replacement. I checked my owner's manual and it looks like bell has a crash replacement policy as well. Now I just need to find the receipt.

 

[Dr_John]

Bell does have a crash replacement policy. It's not posted on their website, but it is in their manual:

http://www.bellbikehelmets.com/downloads/Bell_Bike_OwnersManual_USCAN.pdf

Thanks to your thread, I saw someone post about crash replacement

Edit: whoops.... you posted your comment while I was typing this.

 

[California L33]

Sounds like you need more, not less mountain bike riding, but wait until the dizzinesses goes away, and get on the dirt. It's softer.

 

[team_sheepshead]

Were you seen by the neurologist on call? If not, did the ER docs recommend you follow up with a doctor? In all my visits to the ER that they diagnosed as "not serious," they've always recommended I follow up with a doctor. Like someone said, if you have decent health insurance, make a follow up appt. ASAP.

Nowadays you have to manage your own healthcare.

 

[Touch0Gray]

glad you broke your helmet not your melon....

I hit the ground a week ago yesterday.....dented the helmet, but bruised the crap out of my arm and cracked a rib......hope you didn't crack a rib...if you did, my advice is DON'T SNEEZE

 

[de.abeja]

Follow up with your primary care physician if symptoms do not decrease over the next two weeks, be mindful that you are going to be slightly more susceptable to concussions for a little while (6-8mos) so don't go around giving headbutts to your friends and whatnot.

 

[coonass]

I guess I've got a Guardian Angel...Over the years, I've destroyed Helios and a Pneumo helmets to the extent that the Pneumo shell developed a 1/4" crack. Both helmets had at least 4 cracks in the foam. The good part is that I never even had a bruise, headache, or felt any more pressure on my head than if you lightly tapped your forehead with your fingers...
I know all helmets have to pass ANSI tests, but this may be a tribute to some higher quality features other than more vents and lighter...I never ride without a helmet...
Thank the Heavens that you did have a helmet..

 

[Terrapin]

I'm a little concerned that I looked right into the lazer of the scanner, I only noticed the sign that said do not look into lazers as I was coming out of the machine.

"Don't look directly at the trap!"
"I looked at the trap, Ray!"


Too bad about your accident, though.

Reminds of a time I was enjoying an apres-ski aperitif in the base lodge of a ski resort, and this guy comes in with a big bandage wrapped around his head, with a small smudge of blood on one side. The man asks the bartender for a drink, and the bartender said "Dude, I can't serve you. You have a HEAD INJURY!!"

And, to top this post off.... :mad2: :mad2: :mad2:

 

[everyman]

I cracked my helmet clean through also after a fall. A small rock sent me over the bars. Injuries were: broken right hand, road rash on face and arms, and a gash on my eyebrow that took 4 stiches to close. I felt nausea a few minutes after the crash but only for few minutes. I'm completely recovered...well, mabe not, since the crash caused me to change my riding style -- i.e, from a work-out rider to a strictly recreational one.

My memory was not affected by the crash (it was bad before the crash and it's still bad ). This happened a few yrs ago when I was in my late 50's.

I didn't have any dizziness problem except for the few minutes with nausea right after the crash -- you may wanna check with the doctor about it.

 

[lx93]

You may also wish to Google or, better, ask your doctor about Second Impact Syndrome before riding for some time...

 

[singlecross]

FWIW, my concussion experience with a cracked helmet from a crash last summer was two to three weeks of not feeling quite right and not riding the bike for those weeks per my doctors recommendation. As others have mentioned, everyone reacts differently to a hear truama and there is a significant risk of further damage if concussed again before fully recovering from the first one. Be careful and be well...

singlecross