Objective: To find out whether the increase in the number of children admit
ted with injuries from mountain bicycle handlebars is attributed to recent
changes in the design of children's bicycles.
Design: Retrospective study.
Setting: Teaching general hospital, Israel.
Subjects: 76 children who presented with abdominal injuries caused by bicyc
le handlebars.
Results: In 12 of the 76 children, there was an imprint of the handlebar ed
ge on the hypochondrium. The most common injuries were isolated ruptures of
spleen or liver, (14 and 11 patients, respectively). Five of the 25 patien
ts were operated on and the rest treated conservatively.
Conclusions: Children with an imprint or bruise made by the handlebar edge
on the abdominal wall, or who give a clear history of injuries by a bicycle
handlebar should be treated with great care. BMX handlebars are relatively
high (for young riders) and wide; they also turn freely and are therefore
in direct line with the upper abdomen. Prohibitings the use of bicycles wit
h unpadded handlebars may prevent some of these intra-abdominal injuries.