Motorcycle helmets and spinal injuries: dispelling the myth.

Abstract

To determine the relationship between spinal injuries and helmet use in motorcycle trauma. Retrospective case series. Twenty-eight hospitals in four midwestern states--Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin--representing urban, suburban, and rural settings. Consecutive sample of motorcyclists treated at the participating centers. None. The major variables evaluated were helmet use, ethanol use, and significant head or spinal injuries. 1,153 cases were analyzed. Helmet use was not significantly associated with spinal injuries (odds ratio, 1.12; 95% confidence intervals, 0.79, 1.58) whereas head injury was markedly decreased with helmet use (odds ratio, 0.35; 95% confidence intervals, 0.23, 0.53). Ethanol use was a significant variable in both head (odds ratio, 3.89) and spinal (odds ratio, 2.41) injuries. In contrast to a significant protective relationship identified for head injuries, helmet use was not associated with an increased or decreased occurrence rate of spinal injuries in motorcycle trauma.