Bike Helmets make a difference

The Baxter Bulletin

If you get your bicycle out this spring, remember to wear your bike helmet, which is critical safety equipment.

"An adult or child needs only to fall from a height of two feet and hit his or her head to suffer traumatic brain injury," said Jamie Pritchard, M.D., an emergency physician at Baxter Regional Medical Center. "It is estimated that 75 percent of bicycle-related fatalities could be prevented with a bicycle helmet. A properly fitted bike helmet saves lives."

A properly fitted bike also can save people a lot of pain in their arms, necks, backs and bottoms. "There are a lot of people who ride uncomfortably, and they really don't need to," Pritchard said.

Comfort also will enhance your safety while biking. "The more fatigued you become, the less alert you are," Pritchard added. All you might need for bike comfort are small changes to the seat and handlebar.

"If you experience pain in the neck, upper shoulder and back, you may be holding your head back too far, especially if you wear glasses," Pritchard said. "Heavy glasses can slide down your nose, and some of us are really blind without our glasses."

"Try to purchase lighter frames and strap them in place to keep them from slipping," she said.

Adjusting the handlebars can improve your comfort. "Raise your handlebar a half-inch at a time," Pritchard said. "Often people will ride with the handlebars positioned too low. Please check with a bike mechanic to make sure the handlebar can be raised safely, and ask how much to tighten a bolt or bolts."

Seat height is very important.

"Your knee should be slightly bent when the pedal is all the way down. You can safely raise a seat post only so far, however. If you don't see a line telling you the highest the seat post can go up, talk to a bicycle mechanic," Pritchard said.

A level seat, or saddle, also may help. If not, consider a new seat. Many new saddle designs are now made differently for men and women. "People who develop sore spots frequently can have a bad handlebar position; they are too low or too stretched out," said Pritchard. "By raising your handlebars, you get more slack in your arms and less stress in your neck and less stress on your back."

Slightly adjusting your bike can make a huge difference in comfort, whether it is your seat height, handlebar height or stem reach, which is how far the handlebar is from you. You can purchase stems to bring the handlebars closer and higher. For additional comfort, consider padded bike shorts, padded gloves and gel handlebar grips. A range of comfortable bikes is now offered, which allow you to sit upright.