Recreational cycling related injuries at the emergency department

Abstract

Recreational cycling is gaining popularity in Singapore but there is a lack of literature regarding the spectrum and severity of these injuries and their impact on the utilisation of healthcare resources. We aim to characterise these injuries, as well as to review the healthcare resources required by injured cyclists. A retrospective review of patients with recreational cycling-related injuries presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) between August 2018 and December 2020 was performed. Information about demographics, circumstances of injury, injuries sustained, clinical progress, and outcomes were collected and analysed. There were 214 patients, with an increase in monthly attendance towards the end of the study period. The median age was 48 years old (interquartile range (IQR) 31 to 60) and 165 (77.1%) patients were male. In the ED, 35 (16.4%), 142 (66.4%), and 37 (17.3%) patients were triaged as P1 (emergent), P2 (urgent), and P3 (ambulatory) respectively. Blunt injuries occurred in 210 (98.1%) patients. Soft tissue injuries involving the upper and lower limbs were most common. One hundred and eighty-one (84.6%) patients had a minor to moderate injury classified by an Injury Severity Score of 0 to 8. One hundred twenty-four (57.9%) patients were admitted to the hospital with 40 (18.7%) requiring surgery. Recreational cycling-related injuries are increasingly encountered in the ED. These injuries are associated with morbidities which require utilisation of healthcare resources. Legislation and education efforts to promote safety in recreational cycling are required to reduce accidents and minimise the impact of the injuries sustained.