FALLS AND INJURIES IN MOUNTAIN BIKING
Supported by a Discovery Grant from the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), we are examining the mechanisms of falls and injuries in mountain biking (MTB), and how these depend on sex, gender, age and experience. MTB provides an excellent model for examining how human decision-making and reactive responses govern balance, falls, and injuries when negotiating complex and hazardous environments.
MECHANISMS OF FALLS IN MOUNTAIN BIKING
We are analyzing video footage of falls in MTB that is publicly available on the internet, to determine how falls occur in MTB, and to examine how riders respond to falls through attempts to recover balance and avoid injury. Our results should inform injury prevention through skills development, safe habits, technology, and environmental design.
DECISION-MAKING IN MOUNTAIN BIKING
How do MTB riders manage the risk for falls and injuries? We are conducting experiments using customized features (including ramps of adjustable height and width) to study how MTB riders make decisions based on environmental metrics and perceived risk for falls and injury. We are also examining how these decisions depend on age, gender, riding skills and experience.
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