It is no puzzle why bicycling remains a vastly popular pastime. Pedaling provides glorious and healthy exercise. Further, it is environmentally responsible and offers an inexpensive form of mobility.
Despite these advantages, cycling places riders at risk for life-altering injury. Potholes, swerving cars and inclement weather trigger tumbles. Major physical worries sometimes result from a wreck. Immediately after an accident, take steps to assess your body for evidence of trauma.
Check your breathing
Crashing can result in broken ribs, which sometimes leads to surgery. When these bones crack, they have the potential to puncture the lungs. Slowly inhale until yours are full. Is there pain? If so, there might be a reason for concern that warrants medical care.
Press on your stomach
Organs are both delicate and essential; they are at risk whenever there is an impact. Fold your hands and press downward on your abdomen. Repeat this process until every spot beneath your ribcage receives a check. Do you detect hardness or distension? If so, there could be internal bleeding that needs immediate attention.
Observe your symptoms
In the aftermath of an accident, unusual sensations may become noticeable. A headache is a classic sign of traumatic brain injury. Numbness and tingling in extremities could point toward a fracture of the neck or spine. The same remains true of the inability to wiggle fingers or toes. Should any of these conditions be detectable, lie flat while awaiting an ambulance.
Biking aficionados experience immense joy. The flip side is that riders are vulnerable to harm. Every cyclist should know how to self-assess their conditions, thus expediting medical treatment.