Benjamin T, et al. - Researchers sought to estimate the conventional bicycle helmet’s relation with the rate of facial injury after bicycle crashes. Nonetheless, some protection against facial injuries after bicycle crashes is provided by the bicycle helmets, the level of protection depends on the proximity of the injury to the helmeted head. Despite helmet use, the lower face is particularly vulnerable to injury.

• Experts conducted a retrospective cohort study to access records from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2014, from the National Trauma Databank, which collects data from emergency departments in US hospitals.
• They noted that each record pertained to 1 emergency department admission for a bicycle crash.
• They collected the National Trauma Databank registry data and recorded by incident, which is equivalent to an injury-related hospital admission.
• They included all injuries involving patients aged 18 to 65 years for whom data on helmet use and injury were available.
• They conducted statistical analysis from July 19 to October 17, 2016.
• Exposures included helmeted and nonhelmeted bicycle crashes.
• Main outcomes and measures included head and facial injuries among helmeted and nonhelmeted bicycle crashes.

• As per data, a total of 85,187 facial injuries met inclusion criteria (patient age 18-65 years, availability of helmet use status, and type of injury).
• They noted frequent unavailability of demographic information on bicycle riders.
• Fractures to the head (11.6% [9854]) and face (11.3% [9589]) occurred at similar rates among all injuries.
• Head fractures were reduced by 52% with helmets (from 14.0% [7623] to 7.3% [2231]) and head soft-tissue injuries by 30% (from 15.0% [8151] to 10.9% [3358]), but had lower rates in protecting against facial injuries.
• Results demonstrated that while reducing facial injuries overall, the amount of protection with helmet use varied with facial location of the injury.
• For upper face, reduction in facial fractures was 35% (95% CI, 31%-39%), it was 28% (95% CI, 23%-32%) for mid face, and 21% (95% CI, 15%-26%) for the lower face.
• Findings suggested that helmets were less protective against facial soft-tissue injuries, with a reduction of 33% (95% CI, 30%-36%) in the upper face, 21% (95% CI, 16%-26%) in the mid face, and 2% (95% CI, 0-6%) in the lower face.