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Multicenter Study
. 2022 Aug;20(4):252-257.
doi: 10.1016/j.surge.2021.05.003. Epub 2021 Jun 26.

Cycling injuries requiring orthopaedic intervention during the first COVID-19 lockdown period: A multi-centre SCottish Orthopaedic Research collaborativE (SCORE) study

Alastair Faulkner  1 , David R W MacDonald  2 , David W Neilly  2 , Peter S E Davies  3 , Taegyeong T Ha  4 , Iain M Stevenson  2 , Arpit C Jariwala  3 ; SCORE research group
Collaborators, Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Cycling injuries requiring orthopaedic intervention during the first COVID-19 lockdown period: A multi-centre SCottish Orthopaedic Research collaborativE (SCORE) study

Alastair Faulkner et al. Surgeon. 2022 Aug.

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 lockdown resulted in decreased vehicle use and an increased uptake in cycling. This study investigated the trends in cycling-related injuries requiring orthopaedic intervention during the COVID-19 lockdown period compared with similar time periods in 2018 and 2019.

Methods: Data were collected prospectively for patients in 2020 and collected retrospectively for 2019 and 2018, from hospitals within four NHS Scotland Health Boards encompassing three major trauma centres. All patients who sustained an injury as a result of cycling requiring orthopaedic intervention were included. Patient age, sex, mechanism of injury, diagnosis and treatment outcome from electronic patient records.

Results: Number of injuries requiring surgery 2020: 77 (mean age/years - 42.7); 2019: 47 (mean age/years - 42.7); 2018: 32 (mean age/years - 31.3). Overall incidence of cycling injuries 2020: 6.7%; 2019: 3.0%; 2018: 2.1%. Commonest mechanism of injury: fall from bike 2020 n = 54 (70.1%); 2019 n = 41 (65.1%); 2018 n = 25 (67.6%). Commonest injury type: fracture 2020 n = 68 (79.1%); 2019 n = 33 (70.2%); 2018 n = 20 (62.5%). Commonest areas affected: Upper extremity: 2020 n = 45 (58.5%); 2019 n = 25 (53.2%); 2018 n = 25 (78.1%). Lower extremity: 2020 n = 23 (29.9%); 2019 n = 14 (29.7%); 2018 n = 7 (21.8%).

Conclusion: A significant increase in the number of cycling related injuries requiring orthopaedic intervention, a greater proportion of female cyclists and an older mean age of patients affected was observed during the COVID-19 lockdown period compared with previous years. The most common types of injury were fractures followed by lacerations and fracture-dislocations. The upper extremity was the commonest area affected.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; Cycling injuries; Injury; Lockdown; Orthopaedics; Sports injury; Trauma.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Graph created using figures from Transport Scotland Scottish transport trends 2020. Figures are compared against a baseline index taken on 18th to 24th May (Baseline = 100).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Graph demonstrating the incidence of cycling injuries across all three health boards between 17th March until the 28th May 2018–2020.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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