Fallon et al. ‘Downhill race for a rainbow jersey’: the epidemiology of injuries in downhill mountain biking at the 2023 UCI cycling world championships—a prospective cohort study of 230 elite cyclists: BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine 2024;10:e002270.
The full article can be found here
Tell us more about yourself and the author team.
Thomas Fallon. I am a clinical Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist with a background in Sports Science and Exercise Physiology. Currently, a PhD Candidate examining injury and illness surveillance within competitive cycling at Queens University Belfast. Clinical academic affiliate of the University of Edinburgh Sports Medicine Research Network and the International Olympic Committee UK Collaborating Centre for Injury and Illness Surveillance (UKCCIIS).
Dr Neil Heron currently works at General Practice, Queen’s University Belfast. He does research in Sports Medicine, Public Health, and General Practice. His clinical workload involves General Practice (GP) clinics and his work as a sports and exercise medicine consultant.
Dr Debbie Palmer is a lecturer in research methods and epidemiology. Debbie’s research focuses on epidemiology, risk and prevention of injury and illness in elite, youth and recreational cohorts, longer-term consequences of sport-related injury, and current and retired athlete health. Debbie is co-director of the International Olympic Committee UK Collaborating Centre for Injury and Illness Surveillance (UKCCIIS).
Prof. Xavier Bigard – Professor Bigard is an internationally renowned professor of sports medicine. He is the medical director of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)
Emma Lunan is a sport and exercise medicine consultant and was a medical officer for Glasgow 2023.
Dr Niall Elliott, a sports medicine physician based in Scotland with roles as Head of Sports Medicine at the Scottish Institute of Sport and Chief Medical Officer for the British Olympic Association. 20 years of working in sports from grassroots rugby and ice hockey to multiple summer and winter Olympic Games. Niall was the CMO of the UCI Glasgow 2024 World Championships.
What is the story behind your study?
Injury surveillance within cycling is far behind that of other sports such as rugby and football.
The UCI has highlighted the need for injury surveillance within the sport in its 2030 Agenda. This was the first collaboration on injury surveillance with the UCI since the publication of the IOC consensus statement extension on how to report injuries within cycling and the different disciplines. The protocol for this study was published earlier this year in the BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine Journal.
In your own words, what did you find?
We found that injury incident rates in downhill mountain biking were higher in training than in racing. A female cyclist has a 26% higher risk of injury per 100 rides than a male. The most common injury location seen in female athletes was the head, with the most common injury type being concussion.
From a medical provision perspective, lifting, immobilisation, and helmet removal were among event personnel’s most common medical actions.
This study highlighted that injury surveillance can be performed with little burden on event organisers and medical staff.
What was the main challenge you faced in your study?
The reporting of an injury is most accurate when those carrying out the injury surveillance study are part of the medical team and/or on-site.
If there is one take-home message from your study, what would that be?
For Event Organizers and UCI Technical Officials
Female downhill mountain bikers have a greater risk and prevalence of injury per 100 rides with the highest rate seen in training. Currently, the UCI rules enforce two official practice rounds for males and females. The UCI should consider an extra mandatory official practice round for female athletes in training.
For Athletes & Medical Teams
The most common injury area is the head and the most common type of injury seen is concussion. Downhill mountain bike athletes should include neck-strengthening within their strength and conditioning routines.
For Medical Personnel
Event medical teams should consider pre-event scenario training for medical personnel working within Down Hill Mountain Biking, including helmet removal, neck stabilisation, and lifting of injured athletes.