The Invisible Helmet: How Cognitive Insights Keep Cyclists Safer

The Invisible Helmet: How Cognitive Insights Keep Cyclists Safer

With World Health Day having passed earlier this month, let’s keep the focus on staying healthy, especially for athletes when it comes to #InjuryPrevention. We’re seeing this clearly in pro cycling right now. News reports, like those citing the Royal Dutch Cycling Union (KNWU), mention more and often serious crashes happening in races lately. On top of that, the races themselves are becoming faster and faster, with records constantly being broken. When you see crashes in such a fast, demanding sport, it’s a reminder that preventing injuries isn’t just about physical strength or skill. There’s more to it.

What’s Missing in Traditional Injury Prevention?

How do riders think clearly when things get hectic? How do they make the right split-second call under pressure? Most injury prevention training focuses on the physical aspect – strength, balance, drills. That’s all vital, of course, but it might not be enough.

Science Says: Train the Brain, Not Just the Body

A study in Physical Therapy in Sport suggests adding certain ‘brain challenges’ – like making athletes react to visual cues or make quick decisions – during their physical prevention exercises.

Why?
Because this mimics the reality of sports, where athletes must move and think simultaneously under pressure. This combined physical and mental training aims to better prepare athletes for those split-second moments where injuries often happen, suggesting that training the brain’s ability to handle these demands is key to truly reducing risk.

BrainsFirst: Turning Cognitive Insight Into Rider Safety

This need to understand the brain’s role is central to what we do at BrainsFirst. We help map out how athletes, including cyclists, process information, make decisions, and maintain attention, particularly when things get intense. In a sport like cycling, where speeds are increasing and crashes are a major concern, this cognitive insight becomes incredibly valuable. It allows teams and coaches to better understand which riders might naturally find it harder to, track multiple things at once in a fast-moving bunch or react optimally to sudden dangers and for who it could be a risk. Recognizing these cognitive characteristics isn’t just about performance – it’s a crucial step in identifying potential risks and developing strategies to better protect riders in today’s high-speed peloton.

World Health Day Reminder: Turning to the Brain For Injury Prevention

So, in the context of world health day, maybe it’s time we all ask: how can we improve injury prevention by thinking more about the brain’s role? Looking after the brain is looking after the athlete’s health and their ability to perform well long-term.