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Concussion recovery experiences...

whale

Monkey
Apr 23, 2004
750
0
Silver Spring, MD
So, this past weekend I was riding some local trails and took a spill that resulted in me smacking the back of my head into a tree (while wearing a full-face helmet). From recollections of a buddy of mine following me, I suddenly spun around like a wide receiver getting tackled in mid-air and flew 180 degrees where the back of my head hit a tree and then continued to rotate 180 degrees until I hit the ground with my chest and arms and almost immediately moaned and groaned. He doesn't think I lost consciousness and if I did, it was only for a few seconds. He said I tried to get up, but I had to sit on the ground for a few minutes to regain control. I then tried to walk to my bike but was dizzy and off balance. A few minutes after that initial attempt, I was able to slowly ride my bike down the run.

I don't remember the accident, the ride down, getting a late lunch after the ride, and the ride home (I didn't drive). My wife took me to the ER when I got home because I was having a hard time remembering what had happened recently and what I was doing the day before. CT scans turned out to be negative along with Xrays on my forearm (contusion).

It's been 2-1/2 days and my head still feels heavy with a dull headache. I still don't remember that same period of time post accident, but it seems like I remember everything else but that time period. I'm taking it SUPER easy and was curious about other fellow DHers experience with concussions.

How long did it take for you to recover and how severe was your concussion? How long before you returned to normal and was able to exercise/exert yourself/ride your bike? What was your experience like and what did your doctor recommend you to do?

I've done a bunch of research on-line about concussions, but I wanted a perspective from some fellow DHers who might have had similar experiences... and was there anything that you did or your doctor recommended to speed up the recovery process?

Thanks!

:shocked: :confused: :eek:
 
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blender

Monkey
Oct 19, 2006
642
0
MDR
my experience was something like this:

Fell on my head from 10 feet up at some dirt jumps. Didn't lose consciousness, but was pretty seriously confused as to how i got there and what had happened. Sat down for a good while and chilled, then had a buddy drive me home. Went straight to the ER, all the dome scans came back negative, so I was released with a vicodin prescription and instructions to not fall asleep and have someone check on me every hour for the next 12-24 hours.

I had a gnarly headache for about 2 weeks. Dizzy and disoriented, blurred vision, hard to focus and process complex thoughts (felt like my brain was tired). Then everything slowly subsided, and about 4 weeks after the concussion i was feeling fairly normal. Kept off the exercise for a couple of extra weeks, because exerting myself brought on headaches. Then got back on the bike and forgot about the whole thing.

YMMV
 

NWS

Chimp
Sep 19, 2010
66
0
I was in a car accident that gave me a concussion that left in feeling tired for about a month. I basically felt like I'd just woken up... for a whole month.

I don't remember the accident, or about an hour-and-a-half afterward. I remember driving, and then I remember a guy in a white coat leaning over me asking me simple questions like what day it was ("Saturday"), where I was ("In the hospital." "Which hospital?" "Umm, am I still in Seattle?" "Hey, I think he's with us now.").

Also had a snowboarding accident where I remember looking at the jump, and thinking about whether I should go for a 360 or just a 180, and then I was lying on my back checking myself for injuries by moving my limbs one at a time. I think I over-rotated a 360, caught my heel edge, and went down flat on my back. It was really icy, so the helmet probably saved me from death or worse. I was tired for a day or two.

I've since learned that it's completely normal to have no recollection of the circumstances of a concussion. It's also normal to feel tired for a while. How long just depends on the severity. After the car accident, the doctor told my parents that I would probably get a little bit better each day and with a little luck I'd recover fully - but they didn't promise anything. I suspect that people who end up with permanent damage basically just get stuck in that groggy state.

I've read a couple articles things in the last couple months about how until you are fully healed from a concussion, you are at MUCH higher risk for serious brain damage if you have another knock on the head. Don't take any risks until you're back to 100%.
 

Tedman

Monkey
Oct 27, 2009
112
0
Lebanon, PA
I've had two in my time, both from DH runs gone bad. I am also a nurse and can tell you everyone recovers at their own rate depending on health status, nutrition, and how much they rest afterwards. It's good to hear that everyone posted went to the ER. That's the most critical step to ensure there is no hemorrhage.
My experience was a feeling of fatigue and confusion for up to two weeks. The second time was worse with the lesions but no permanent damage.(my wife disagrees Haha)
The tricky thing about head injuries is each time trauma occurs in the brain it makes it easier to incur further damage the next time.
Make sure you have a good rated helmet even though it doesn't matter. The reason a concussion happens is the brain bouncing off the skull from sudden impact and even the best helmet doesn't stop that from happening. A better constructed helmet only keeps the helmet from collapsing and damaging the skull itself.
The mystery of TBI is there is no number of how many each person can have. Some people can have many while others can only sustain one depending on how much force is applied.
The OP sounds like he took a nasty blow to the back of the head which can result in brain stem injure or spinal cord trauma. Consider yourself lucky and focus on riding within your abilities. Give yourself some time to recover and don't put yourself at risk of another head injury for one year.
 

Inclag

Turbo Monkey
Sep 9, 2001
2,750
439
MA
So, this past weekend I was riding some local trails and took a spill that resulted in me smacking the back of my head into a tree (while wearing a full-face helmet). From recollections of a buddy of mine following me, I suddenly spun around like a wide receiver getting tackled in mid-air and flew 180 degrees where the back of my head hit a tree and then continued to rotate 180 degrees until I hit the ground with my chest and arms and almost immediately moaned and groaned. He doesn't think I lost consciousness and if I did, it was only for a few seconds. He said I tried to get up, but I had to sit on the ground for a few minutes to regain control. I then tried to walk to my bike but was dizzy and off balance. A few minutes after that initial attempt, I was able to slowly ride my bike down the run.

I don't remember the accident, the ride down, getting a late lunch after the ride, and the ride home (I didn't drive). My wife took me to the ER when I got home because I was having a hard time remembering what had happened recently and what I was doing the day before. CT scans turned out to be negative along with Xrays on my forearm (contusion).

It's been 2-1/2 days and my head still feels heavy with a dull headache. I still don't remember that same period of time post accident, but it seems like I remember everything else but that time period. I'm taking it SUPER easy and was curious about other fellow DHers experience with concussions.

How long did it take for you to recover and how severe was your concussion? How long before you returned to normal and was able to exercise/exert yourself/ride your bike? What was your experience like and what did your doctor recommend you to do?

I've done a bunch of research on-line about concussions, but I wanted a perspective from some fellow DHers who might have had similar experiences... and was there anything that you did or your doctor recommended to speed up the recovery process?

Thanks!

:shocked: :confused: :eek:
Not much that can be done to speed up the recovery process as far as I know of. You would best search out a reputable concussion specialist and probably have a neuro-test to have questions like that answered.

In my experience, time off the bike and doing NO strenuous activities are the most important factors in speeding up recovery. This means staying away from TV, light, driving, computers, etc. if any of them cause you to feel symptoms of your concussion. As you start to recover start getting fresh air, taking walks, etc. until you eventually get to the point where a quick spin on a stationary or a jog is tolerable. Depending on the severity of your concussion some days may be more tolerable than others. It really depends and thats why seeking out a specialist is so important. There's a plethora of new information being published these days citing concussions as causing chronic traumatic encephalopathy and other brain damage induced disorders some of which parallel Lou Gehrig's Disease.
 

whale

Monkey
Apr 23, 2004
750
0
Silver Spring, MD
Thanks for all the responses and stories of your personal experiences.

I have a neighbor who was a PT (specifically sports medicine) and has experience with treating concussions. He tested my sensitivity to light, strength in my arms, legs, neck, and some mental tests to see how I was doing. I seem to be doing ok, but definitely feel groggy. He suggested that I wait until I am absolutely 100% and then return to normal activity a FULL week after the day I feel 100%.

I also read about fish oil helping so I'll be taking some of my wife's OMEGA-3 supplements. It seems like the consensus on recovery from what I have found online is to get plenty of rest and water and to eat a high protein diet. Also, to stop doing any activity that causes any symptoms to return.
 

nelsonjm

Monkey
Feb 16, 2007
708
1
Columbia, MD
Sorry to hear man. I'm afraid I can't offer advice, but I hope you get back to 100% soon. What trail was this?

Edit for advice: This is probably the one time beer won't help things. :(
 

spocomptonrider

sportin' the CROCS
Nov 30, 2007
1,412
118
spokanistan
I'm going to leave some details out of my experience as they are still hard for me to talk about but in a nutshell, concussion's have changed my life. Not to mention my ability to ride, drive a car, and a few other unforeseen circumstances that I am still trying to put behind me. Basically after having a 3rd pretty severe concussions I am in a position where blows to the head cause me to have seizures... Not awesome. There was an article in dirtrag (I know freaking hippy mtb magazine) about TBI (traumatic brain injury, basically any hit hard enough to cause a concussion can be seen as TBI) and its affects on your riding. Basically after a certain number of concussions or a hard enough blow to the head another can create havoc on your well being. It's been 6 months for me since my accident and the after affects are still very real. As others have said I also had a dull sort of head ache and felt out of it for at least another month after, I am finally back on my bike but I don't feel as aggressive (or much like racing for that matter).

This post was sort of all over the place much like my mind state has been, I guess the point I am trying to get across is that concussions can carry life changing consequence with them and are an oft overlooked part of riding. Keep fighting the good fight. I now will only ride with a DOT helmet no matter how gumby like it makes me look, another concussion for me will turn me to xc riding only for the rest of my days...

edit- much like you I still do not have a full memory of the event, and after 6 months I am finally to the point where I am able to drive and ride again, pretty much not an enjoyable experience.
 
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FlipFantasia

Turbo Monkey
Oct 4, 2001
1,659
492
Sea to Sky BC
takes as long as it takes.....not much help, but words of advice, don't over do it.....I was probably a good 3-4 months after I broke my neck, weird stuff too, like getting really frustrated with simple things when I went back to work part time. head injuries aren't anything to eff around with, heal right.
 

snowskilz

xblue attacked piggy won
May 15, 2004
612
0
rado
I under rotated a 7 in the big park at breck by a hair, when i landed my tail kicked out and my head was the first thing to hit. I was instantly knocked out, my buddy had to scoop me out of the way. i was able to slide down to the bottom and we busted out to denver.

It took me just over 3 months to mostly recover. I would wake up every morning and walk in to walls. Eventually i got to waking up early, sitting up in the bed for a half hour then getting up and grazing the walls instead of slamming them. The dull headache went away quickly for me, i would say in a week. it was more the balance issues that were my effect.

Take your time recovering, the more time you spend recovering the better you will be off. Get back at a slow pace and have fun.
 

fortenndu

Turbo Monkey
Apr 22, 2008
1,573
0
Boone, NC
I've had more then my fair share of concussions from downhilling. For most of them I just felt pretty off for a few weeks and then my memory was a little hazy for another month or so. However, last May I hit my head pretty hard, broke some bones in my face and couldn't read more then a sentence at a time for almost two months. Take the time you need to recover, it's annoying not riding but don't take any risks for a while.
 

Slater

Monkey
Oct 10, 2007
378
0
Geez. I hope you heal up 100% soon.

Also a friend of mine has had multiple concussions, and after the last one the doctor determined that it was actually caused by her jaw slamming into her skull upon impact. She didn't hit on her jaw, but apparently a severe hit can cause this. After reading more, I have seen a few articles that mention this as a somewhat common cause of concussions. She now wears a mouth piece when she rides.

Reading all these posts has just made me decide to wear my DOT moto helmet for DH from now on.
 
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NWS

Chimp
Sep 19, 2010
66
0
She didn't hit on her jaw, but apparently a severe hit can cause this. After reading more, I have seen a few articles that mention this as a somewhat common cause of concussions. She now wears a mouth piece when she rides.
I read a while back that jaw-induced concussions areone of the main reasons that football players (that's "handegg players" for you Brits) wear mouthpieces.
 

10rubkaz

Chimp
Feb 16, 2010
15
0
Looks like I’ve got some fun ahead after reading this lot. I hit a tree yesterday, KO myself, was apparently spasming while I was out. Was out for a few minutes, I’ve broken three ribs and separated my shoulder. Bummer. How long before i can bike again? Physio reckons 6 weeks at least.
 

fluider

Monkey
Jun 25, 2008
440
9
Bratislava, Slovakia
I read a while back that jaw-induced concussions areone of the main reasons that football players (that's "handegg players" for you Brits) wear mouthpieces.
Then they must have their liver and stomach converted into lungs. I can't imagine sprinting for 1 minute with my mouth shut. It's like diesel engine without turbo.
 

spocomptonrider

sportin' the CROCS
Nov 30, 2007
1,412
118
spokanistan
Looks like I’ve got some fun ahead after reading this lot. I hit a tree yesterday, KO myself, was apparently spasming while I was out. Was out for a few minutes, I’ve broken three ribs and separated my shoulder. Bummer. How long before i can bike again? Physio reckons 6 weeks at least.
Sounds like you had a seizure... I'd take the physio's advise 6 weeks minimum, but it'll probably be longer before you're comfortable gettin' after it again. Good luck brother.
 

daisycutter

Turbo Monkey
Apr 8, 2006
1,651
124
New York City
Serious Effects of Mild Concussions
Mild concussions and other head injuries can have serious long-term effects

By Elizabeth Quinn, About.com Guide

Updated March 01, 2010


Concussions are traumatic head injuries that occur from both mild and severe blows to the head. Some head injuries may appear to be mild but research is finding that concussions can have serious, long-term effects. Repeat head injuries or cumulative concussions, can have long-term implications.

Recent studies on the cumulative effects of concussions in high school athletes have shown that even mild concussions can result in serious long-term problems, particularly if an athlete is allowed to return to play too early, or has a history of concussions or other head injuries.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh's Sports Medicine Center have been studying male and female high school athletes who have sustained concussions during sporting events. A concussion is typically caused by a severe head trauma where the brain moves violently within the skull so that brain cells all fire at once, much like a seizure. Signs of a mild concussion include confusion, disorientation and memory loss. Because these symptoms may not be reported by the athlete, or may disappear within a few minutes, players are often allowed to continue playing or return to a game before their brain has had adequate time to heal.

According to researcher Mark Lowell, allowing an athlete to return to play too early increases their chance of more serious brain injury. Given that concussions are sustained each season by more than 10 percent of high school athletes, determining when it is safe for these athletes to return to play is an important objective. To that end, researchers at the University developed a computer program called the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing system, or ImPACT, which measures an athlete's memory, reaction time and processing speed. The program is used to establish a player's baseline conditions at the start of a season, and is then subsequently implemented if the player sustains a mild concussion. The results of the testing provide coaches and trainers with a more objective measure of whether the athlete is healthy enough to return to play. The ImPACT program is currently being used at high schools and colleges throughout the nation, as well as by the National Football League and National Hockey League.

The research conducted by the University has also demonstrated that a history of concussion can cause long-term memory loss and other problems. According to Dr. Michael Collins, "the study indicates for the first time in the high school athlete population that prior concussions may indeed lower the threshold for subsequent concussion injury and increase symptom severity in even seemingly mild subsequent concussions." Researchers found that athletes with three or more concussions were nine times more likely to suffer more severe concussion symptoms (e.g., loss of conciousness and memory) than players with no prior history of concussion.

Source: University of Pittsburgh -Brain Trauma Research.

Review: August 2006
 

Mulestar

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2007
1,061
0
in the dirt
I had a good one riding xc in June. Dropped my front wheel into a rut while drifting a turn and hit the front/top of my head hard. My chin hit my chest hard enough to chip a front tooth and a molar, tweaking my neck hard enough to make one of my arms go numb. I didn't lose conciousness but I was definitely seeing stars and feeling loopy for an hour or so. Broke my helmet in about 6 places and exploded a pbr can that was in my pack. I had a few spells of dizziness/faintness and some anxiety and panic issues in the 6 weeks or so afterwards. Also some very strange dreams in the few days afterwards. Very strange; head injuries can do funny things to you.

I however, did not have the grogginess, confusion, etc that others have mentioned.
 
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rockofullr

confused
Jun 11, 2009
7,342
924
East Bay, Cali
Then they must have their liver and stomach converted into lungs. I can't imagine sprinting for 1 minute with my mouth shut. It's like diesel engine without turbo.
Wearing a mouth piece isn't that bad. After a bit it won't bother you.

If you intend to race with one make sure you train with it.
 

10rubkaz

Chimp
Feb 16, 2010
15
0
Sounds like you had a seizure... I'd take the physio's advise 6 weeks minimum, but it'll probably be longer before you're comfortable gettin' after it again. Good luck brother.
Thanks Buddy!:)

Quick question related to my crash. I’ve now got a small crack in my carbon d2, I take it that’s a write off? When it comes to replacement is the d3 much better, any experiences? I’ve read the ads etc. Is it comfy? Do you get a crash replacement deal?
 

insanitylevel9

triple nubby
Jan 7, 2011
2,001
5
hopkinton ma
i ko'ed my self twice in the same day, i didnt know i got knocked out, no one told me so i just kept riding. i still cant remember the week and it took me about a month and a half to get back to 100%. since then though every thing is taking me longer to comprehend and i really cant remember much of anything from the month and a half it took me to get back to 100%.
 

NWS

Chimp
Sep 19, 2010
66
0
Thanks Buddy!:)

Quick question related to my crash. I’ve now got a small crack in my carbon d2, I take it that’s a write off? When it comes to replacement is the d3 much better, any experiences? I’ve read the ads etc. Is it comfy? Do you get a crash replacement deal?
Yeah, I'd say that helmet is done.

Bike helmets (and car / motorbike helmets) aren't usually designed to take more than one hit. A lot of the protection comes from foam that doesn't spring back to its original thickness and/or strength after being compressed once.

I have no idea about replacement deals but it couldn't hurt to ask.
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,520
7,069
Colorado
It's good that you went to the ER and got the CT scan. These are really important to see what type of impact you actually suffered. I had a few pretty nasty concussions while I was still racing DH ('99-'03) and the after effects are just starting to show up. The major after effects have been long-term memory loss (I don't remember the better part of two years from college) and I now have epilepsy. With the epilepsy, the seizures always trigger from the same location, which is the front left hemisphere of my brain. That point is also where I took the vast majority of my blows.

I would be VERY cautious about charging back into riding until the swelling and risk factors have subsided. I was told generally for the grade of concusion (1,2,3) you should take that many months away from sports with the potential of head trauma.

Since you were not unconscious, I (not a dr) would assume you had a severe grade-2 based on your description and complete lack of recollection. I would suggest taking 2-3 months off DH, and taking up a secondary sport in the interim. Brain trauma is not something you want to f* with.
 

KavuRider

Turbo Monkey
Jan 30, 2006
2,565
4
CT
I was in a car accident that gave me a concussion that left in feeling tired for about a month. I basically felt like I'd just woken up... for a whole month.

I don't remember the accident, or about an hour-and-a-half afterward. I remember driving, and then I remember a guy in a white coat leaning over me asking me simple questions like what day it was ("Saturday"), where I was ("In the hospital." "Which hospital?" "Umm, am I still in Seattle?" "Hey, I think he's with us now.").
Almost exactly what happened to me a few years ago. I remember getting in the car, next thing I'm in a back board and neck brace with my family and friends all gathered around me.

I've since learned that it's completely normal to have no recollection of the circumstances of a concussion. It's also normal to feel tired for a while. How long just depends on the severity. After the car accident, the doctor told my parents that I would probably get a little bit better each day and with a little luck I'd recover fully - but they didn't promise anything. I suspect that people who end up with permanent damage basically just get stuck in that groggy state.

I've read a couple articles things in the last couple months about how until you are fully healed from a concussion, you are at MUCH higher risk for serious brain damage if you have another knock on the head. Don't take any risks until you're back to 100%.
Interesting. I guess my initial concussion was pretty serious, they kept me for observation a few days and I guess they told my parents to keep an eye on me. I've since had 2 more, 1 that knocked me out and 1 that just made me a bit dizzy. Not sure if there was any permanent damage, but I do know that simple things can now drive me insane and I have a lot of trouble multi-tasking. If I'm working on something and the phone rings I completely lose focus.

Crazy stuff.
 

frankthetank

Chimp
Feb 20, 2010
38
0
NY/NJ
Had "mild" concussion in middle of a two hour ride,(finished the ride).Took two weeks off doing nothing felt fine went back riding for one month with no problems at all, then started to get headaches.Went to the doctor said it was migraines gave my pills did not work went to the neurologist cat scan mri etc nothing.PCS post concussion syndrome was there guess it's six months of a nightmare, they have me trying different drugs but had to stop the side affects suck.Going back to the Doctors again in two wks to start something else.
 

Pau11y

Turbo Monkey
Are there any sort of dietary things that can help speed recovery? Someone mentioned fish oil which is rich in omega fatty acids. So hows about amino acids the likes of acetyl l-carnitine and/or alpha lipoic acid? Would herbal supplements such as Ginkgo to dilate blood vessels and get more blood up to the melon help?
 

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
nothing much to add that hasn't already been said, but yah, definitely heed peoples advice and take it easy. Definitely follow the "give it a month or two, wait till you feel 100%, then wait some more" advice.
 

manimal

Ociffer Tackleberry
Feb 27, 2002
7,212
17
Blindly running into cactus
i had my first concussion the day before i was supposed to start field training. i had just graduated from the police academy and went on a big group ride on New Years day '04. about a 10' drop that we were all sessioning (new word) when some xc guys came up and asked, "has anyone ever gotten hurt on this drop?" ...and of course i jinxed myself and said "nah..never seen anyone crash on this one) and proceeded to show them how smooth it was. (10' shore style drop with 20' long/high lander so about 30' from top of drop to bottom of dirt lander). inevitably..i cased it, rode the h-bars all the way to the bottom where i hit like a sack of potatoes and, according to observers, immediately started snoring. i was out for 2-3 minutes.
i have ZERO recollection of that entire day except for memories i have fabricated from the stories that were told to me and the video of the crash...that no longer exists.

NOTE: DO NOT EDIT VIDEO OF YOURSELF CRASHING HARD WHILE YOU ARE STILL UNDER THE EFFECTS OF A CONCUSSION..YOU RUN THE CHANCE OF DELETING THE WRONG FILE IN YOUR CONFUSION AND RUINING ANY CHANCE OF EVIDENCE OF THE EPIC CRASH ;)

so...needless to say, i started my field training a few days late as i was loopy as charlie sheen and tom cruise at a rave. my wife tells me that, while at the ER, i kept telling her how hot the nurse was and that i had about 45 seconds of short term memory before i'd lose everything and have to start all over. my riding buds said i was hilarious to watch on the way to the ER.
i still have no memory of that day and, i don't know if it's related or not but, i cannot find my way around my hometown when i go to visit. i don't remember how to get to the places that i hung out at as a teen or my friend's houses. it's kind of creepy and i don't know if its from the 3 concussions i've had since 2004 or the fact that i've lived in 3 states and 2 different countries since leaving home at 18.

i have no advice for recovery...i was sent back to work after only 3 days and i was still a little fuzzy...scary isn't it ;)

the only memory i have of that day is from this screenshot taken right before i took a dirtnap :D how i ended up with a screenshot and deleted the actual video is a testament to why you shouldn't edit video while concussed ;)
 

yopaulie

Monkey
Jun 4, 2009
165
7
NH
I wouldn't be so sure that a DOT helmet is better to stop a concussion. I may be wrong but I thought a DOT is meant to handle a more life threatening blow to the head...ie firmer material and that means you may be more apt to a concussion wearing the DOT. The firmer material may have less of a shock absorbing effect.

Do we have a true helmet expert to chime in on this?
 

robert716

Chimp
Feb 22, 2010
32
0
Reno, Nevada
I'm not a helmet expert, but I have had a number of concussions over the years (most from MX) and that has led me to read a lot on the subject.

Over the last couple of years, I've read opinions from quite a few experts who feel that DOT and Snell-approved helmets are too stiff for bicycle use, and some that even think that they are too stiff even for motocross use. The problem is that the energy-absorbing foam inside the DOT helmets is engineered to be very firm so that it can withstand extraordinarily high-energy impacts (think hitting a car bumper at 60 mph on a street bike.)

The problem is that this hard foam is not compliant enough to slow the head down gradually in lower-speed crashes (the types that are much, much more common in DH and MX), which makes for a higher risk of concussions. And, as we've learned from multiple studies in recent years, concussions can be very serious too, and sometimes even deadly.

I like to think of a suspension analogy to illustrate the point: when your suspension is too stiff, you're unlikely to bottom it out, but it rides harshly because it refuses to absorb the smaller bumps. The stiffer helmet foam kind of works the same way: it's great for a giant impact--think of that car bumper at 60 mph--but it doesn't work very well at absorbing the smaller blows (say, hitting a tree at 18 mph.)

For this reason, I stick with my D2 when I ride DH and reach for my moto helmet when I bring out the CRF450. I feel that I'm much more vulnerable to an impact at 15-30 mph on my DH bike, and I think my D2 is better suited to that sort of impact than my moto helmet (which itself is Snell approved, which makes it even a little stiffer than a standard DOT helmet.)

In the future, I would love to see an off-road-specific motorcycle helmet standard emerge, and we already have a DH-specific standard, though it's still only used by a few companies so far. Now that the world is beginning to look more into the effects of concussions, I expect we can see more helmet research geared toward preventing mild concussions as well as the bigger impacts. Or at least I hope so.
 

frankthetank

Chimp
Feb 20, 2010
38
0
NY/NJ
I'm not a helmet expert, but I have had a number of concussions over the years (most from MX) and that has led me to read a lot on the subject.

Over the last couple of years, I've read opinions from quite a few experts who feel that DOT and Snell-approved helmets are too stiff for bicycle use, and some that even think that they are too stiff even for motocross use. The problem is that the energy-absorbing foam inside the DOT helmets is engineered to be very firm so that it can withstand extraordinarily high-energy impacts (think hitting a car bumper at 60 mph on a street bike.)

The problem is that this hard foam is not compliant enough to slow the head down gradually in lower-speed crashes (the types that are much, much more common in DH and MX), which makes for a higher risk of concussions. And, as we've learned from multiple studies in recent years, concussions can be very serious too, and sometimes even deadly.

I like to think of a suspension analogy to illustrate the point: when your suspension is too stiff, you're unlikely to bottom it out, but it rides harshly because it refuses to absorb the smaller bumps. The stiffer helmet foam kind of works the same way: it's great for a giant impact--think of that car bumper at 60 mph--but it doesn't work very well at absorbing the smaller blows (say, hitting a tree at 18 mph.)

For this reason, I stick with my D2 when I ride DH and reach for my moto helmet when I bring out the CRF450. I feel that I'm much more vulnerable to an impact at 15-30 mph on my DH bike, and I think my D2 is better suited to that sort of impact than my moto helmet (which itself is Snell approved, which makes it even a little stiffer than a standard DOT helmet.)

In the future, I would love to see an off-road-specific motorcycle helmet standard emerge, and we already have a DH-specific standard, though it's still only used by a few companies so far. Now that the world is beginning to look more into the effects of concussions, I expect we can see more helmet research geared toward preventing mild concussions as well as the bigger impacts. Or at least I hope so.

who knows? look at other sports football /hockey it's about the force of the impact.
 

whale

Monkey
Apr 23, 2004
750
0
Silver Spring, MD
i think robert716 brings up an interesting take on helmet technology. the NFL has some specially designed helmets to reduce the risk of concussion... it would be interesting to see what makes those designs better. everything that i have been able to find mentions air padding and "softening" the blow which lends to the argument against DOT/Snell for "lower speed" DH impacts.

it's been one full week since my concussion and i still have some mild headaches with weird heavy head feeling from time-to-time, but definitely improving. i've done some stationary biking, weight lifting, and hiking and stop whenever i start to feel "off".
 
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Sonic Reducer

Monkey
Mar 19, 2006
500
0
seattle worshington
ive had several concussions lol.
last one: late july 2010, rode a sea kayak down a wooded hill behind my house while sh!thoused and hit my head on a rock. was wearing an old motorcycle helmet and my dainese armor as well as a carhart coverall for the blackberry bushes. dont remember much except waking up in the middle of my deck. aside from the hangover, i didnt really feel that bad but definitely loopy/wierd. just powered through it at work the following days.

august 2007: hopping a construction orange caution barrel thing out of a bank and hung my back tire on something. slammed my head onto the ground and was out cold for say 30 seconds. went to the doctor because i thought i broke my face but nothing was. felt physically sick for the next 3-4 days as well as major face swelling and road rash on cheek, nose and forehead. went in to work the following monday and felt so bad that i left at noon and stayed home for 2 days or so. i developed a wierd twinge in the side of my scalp/skull that was triggered by nerves in other places on my body. wierd. i havent had it in a while though.

sometime 2006: riding a square, large swimming pool and trying a line that involved carving from the large transition deep end to the super tight transition shallow end. i guess i turned in too hard or something and the tranny stopped my front tire dead. it was that swimming pool shallow end tranny that cant be ridden straight on. bonked my forehead on the ground. got lightly knocked out, vision dark and lying on the ground but still conscious. the tip of my nose was road rashed. dont really remember any specifics about the recovery.
 
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