Question:
I need to spend more time looking at this data. The data does appear to make a case for helmets, but it appears that something else is going on. I see no reason why wearing a helmet should increase the spinal injury rate. Do you? Why does it then? It's almost as if cyclists are increasingly getting struck lower and lower in the body. Perhaps the average height of cyclists has changed? How many times do I have to say exactly what I think before you will actually read and understand it? Then again, that's too much to ask of you, isn't it? FWIW, here's my position on the subject, for the umpteenth time:

Helmets prevent scalp and (some) facial lacerations, abrasions, contusions and also some concussions. They reduce the severity of more serious injuries by absorbing some of the energy generated in severe impacts. They probably save a few lives, too, though anyone involved in an accident severe enough to be fatal without a helmet will probably still suffer significant injuries if they are wearing a helmet.

The bottom line is that helmets are not a panacea, but there is no doubt that you are better off in an accident involving head trama if you are wearing a helmet, than if you're not. Period.

Answer: Closed head injuries are mostly minor injuries despite the fact that people are trying to make them all out to be serious concusions and intercranial hemotoma. And if you were smart enough you'd understand that none of these conferences are designed to be single minded. Perhaps you are the sort whose brain can only accept a single subject at one time, but most others are capable of having a wider understanding of the world about them then you apparently have. closed head injuries" are concusions and bruises. These are the minor injuries that Thompson, Rivara and Thompson reported in their biased paper. We were fairly certain that helmets would reduce minor injuries. Concusions ain't fun, but most people will get a couple in their lifetime fun or not. You must remember that concusion is usually nothing more than a hard enough blow to the head to make you dizzy and disorient you temporarily.