Neurosurgeon urges helmet use after surge in summer head injuries

A senior neurosurgeon at Copenhagen’s Rigshospitalet has issued a public appeal for cyclists and other vulnerable road users to wear helmets, following an unusually high number of serious head injuries this summer.

Kirsten Møller, a consultant neurosurgeon, posted on LinkedIn urging helmet use after her department treated a disproportionate number of patients with severe brain injuries from falls involving bicycles, skateboards, and e-scooters.

Many of the cases involved skull fractures, major external or internal brain haemorrhages, or direct brain trauma, she said.

While helmets cannot prevent all accidents, Møller stressed they can make a critical difference, comparing the helmet to an “egg carton for the brain.”

“We estimate that hitting something skull-first could lead to severe traumatic brain injury, whereas hitting with the helmet first might result in a serious concussion instead,” she said.