Study: Injury rates for older cyclists skyrocket over past 15 years

While bicycling certainly has its health benefits, a new study on injury rates over the past 15 years is proving that riding a bike can be risky — especially for older cyclists.

The study, conducted by researchers at UCSF and published in the September issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that hospital admissions associated with bicycle injuries more than doubled between 1998 and 2013, with head and torso injuries occurring most frequently.

For riders over the age of 45, the proportion of injuries rose by 81 percent during that time, the authors wrote.