- A new study from Canada found that mountain biking contributed the most to spinal cord injuries from 2008 to 2022, compared to other sports, which researchers call a cause for national alarm.
- Other recent research points out that most mountain biking injuries are actually minor.
- An expert offers general tips on avoiding injuries, both minor and severe.
When considering a seemingly simple question like, “What is the rate of injuries in mountain biking?” it turns out the answer isn’t as straightforward as it seems, even in research results. The good news, though: Experts do agree on which strategies can help lower injury risk.
However, a recent study in Neurotrauma Reports tips the convo toward the “ringing alarm bells” side. Conducted at a level 1 trauma center in Vancouver, Canada, the study looked at the prevalence of spinal cord injuries from different sports and found the highest number between 2008 and 2022 came from off-road mountain biking.
Over the 14-year period, 58 individuals—with an average age of 35, and mostly male—suffered from this type of injury while biking, with 27 of them experiencing significant damage as a result. Because of this, the researchers concluded that there’s an “urgent need for increased awareness and preventative measures to reduce the incidence of these devastating injuries, particularly in regions where [mountain biking] is prevalent.” The results were such a concern that they called these accidents a cause for national alarm.
One caveat to keep in mind is the limited scope of the research, considering it was done at only one hospital. However, previous studies have raised similar concerns. For example, a 2020 research review in Muscles, Ligaments and Tendons Journal found that 90 percent of mountain bikers reported at least one injury during a biking season, with 10 percent of those considered serious, such as traumatic brain injuries and cervical spine injuries. (The most common injuries were abrasions and bruises though.)
Those stats led researchers to conclude that injury rates in in mountain biking are on the “high end of outdoor sports,” particularly for those who ride downhill, where most serious injuries occur.
Another study, in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, also noted that downhill mountain biking seems especially problematic. A survey of 249 riders over one summer season found a total of 494 injuries, with most being mild (scratches, bruises, and cuts) or moderate—such as fractures like a broken arm or wrist—in terms of severity and 13 percent severe, like head injuries or spinal injuries.
Because the majority of injuries reported in studies like those are minor, other research suggests mountain biking may not be as injury-laden as the most recent study claims.
For example, a meta-analysis in PLoS ONE looked at 24 studies on injuries for mountain biking and hiking, and noted that although some fractures and head injuries were reported for riders, the breadth of accidents were lower-level, non-emergency situations.
Also, a 2024 study in the journal Injury adds that the accident trend may be changing: Those researchers found that even though there was an increase in severe mountain bike injuries between 2005 to 2020, there’s been a decrease in incidence since then. There are several factors at play here, but the main drivers for that reduction are increased safety education efforts and better protection—for example, improved helmets and other protective gear.
Although studies like the ones above come with different levels of concern around mountain biking in general, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s considered a full-body sport that does come with significant risk, according to Bekah Rottenberg, PMBI-certified mountain bike coach and founder of Brave Endeavors. She told Bicycling that even if some studies finds biking less dangerous than other studies, that doesn’t mean you should skimp on injury prevention strategies.
Coaches like Rottenberg recommend working on skills throughout the year (such as using a stationary bike to improve standing, braking, and cadence), incorporating strength training into your mix, and practicing quick-pivot riding techniques, often on flat trails—rather than waiting until you’re zooming downhill to put those into play. Those techniques involve using weight shifting, handlebar turning, and a rear wheel lift to change direction rapidly.
“The more you learn and understand how to properly ride a mountain bike, the less likely you are to get hurt,” Rottenberg said. “Think of taking a mountain bike lesson like taking a ski lesson. Skills clinics will not only help you understand how to properly and safely pilot the bike, but most will help you with trail selection, map reading, and provide assistance determining if a trail is safe for you to ride. There are lots of skills clinic offerings and a quick google search for MTB skills clinics in your area should provide you with at least a few options.”
Elizabeth Millard is a freelance writer focusing on health, wellness, fitness, and food.
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