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For Parents: Protecting Your Teen from Bicycle Injuries

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The main reason why the large number of kids gets injured is that they forget about possible danger situations that may occur on the road. Even if you persuade a child riding a bicycle to wear cycling equipment, there is no certainty that they will not take it off when you do not see them. However, unfortunately no one is protected from accidents. The interesting fact is that the injuries are not always connected with over speed. The roads are not always perfect: there are a lot of pits, garbage, open hatches. Sometimes you can come across the inadequate drivers and pedestrians, wild and domestic animals.

Every parent worries about their child and try to do everything to prevent them for getting hurt. Youngsters are active and sometimes even reckless, thus it is your duty as a parent to explain them the most wide-spread reasons why people get injured while riding a bike.

To avoid bicycle injuries, it is important to understand four things: bicycle equipment, proper landing, pedalling efficiency and technique, rhythmic breathing.

Bicycle equipment. Remember that a cyclist is faster than a pedestrian and slower than a car, so it simply "falls out" of the drivers' view. Brighter your kid are dressed, more likely they will attract attention. Also, never let your child leave the house in the evening without headlamps and tail lights. Do not forget to buy a helmet that protects the head from injuries, cycling gloves that help to avoid calluses and save energy and cycling glasses that protect your eyes from sun, crud and flying bugs.

Proper landing. Generally, the size and the type of the bicycle are selected individually. It is necessary to choose the bike with saddle that can adjust to the natural vertical position. To avoid injury, the kid should not bend the body forwards while sitting on the bike. If you install the saddle improperly, your kid will get pain in the hips, knees, feet, ankles and shoulders and can lead to the bicycle injuries.

Pedalling efficiency and technique. Correct pedaling technique is based on the number of revolutions of the crank per minute (cadence or pedalling rate). The correct cadence is should be not lower than 60 rpm. If the kid is unable to maintain such pace, then they need to reduce the pressure on their knees. The pedaling rate is one of the most common mistakes of inexperienced cyclists, thus your child should get used to the normal cadence.

Rhythmic breathing. Proper breathing will help your child to save energy, set up the right tempo and pedaling rate. It is also important to stay hydrated, thus pack a bottle of water for your kid before the walk. Do not forget that the lack of water in the body leads to the knees injuries. Regardless whether you want it or not, is it hot or cold, make at least a few sips of water every twenty minutes.

In addition, your kid can learn rules for cyclists to understand how to share the road with other road user.

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