THE ETIOLOGY AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF INJURIES DUE TO BICYCLE ACCIDENTS IN PERSONS AGED 50 YEARS AND OLDER

This retrospective study concerns the aetiology and psychological long -term effects of injuries due to bicycle accidents in 329 patients 50 years and older who attended the Emergency Unit of the University Hosp ital at Groningen during the period 1990 through 1992. Long-term effec ts were assessed three years after hospital discharge. The one-sided b icycle accident (with no other traffic involved) was the major (63.2%) cause, mostly due to loss of balance or to a foot slipping from the p edal. The main category of the second major cause was collision with o ther traffic. Of the bicycle accidents 66% occurred within 15 minutes after departure; 80% of the accidents happened in good weather conditi ons and daylight, and 7.6% of the patients had taken tranquilizers bef ore biking. The majority of the injuries were observed at the upper ex tremities (28.8%) and head or face (25.8%). The percentage of clinical ly treated patients increased across ages from 25% in the 50- to 54-yr .-oId category to 45% in the category 75-yr. and older. Three years af ter the incident, longterm psychological effects were still observed i n 29% of the patients.