Institute for Biomedicine of Aging (IBA), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Kobergerstr. 60, 90408, Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany.
Department of Medicine, Kantonsspital Winterthur, Winterthur, Switzerland.
Eur Geriatr Med. 2023 Jun;14(3):595-602. doi: 10.1007/s41999-023-00765-2. Epub 2023 Mar 28.
Older cyclists are in great risk of being injured or killed in a traffic-related accident and their needs should find more consideration in safety guidelines, urban planning, and future intervention programs.
The aim for this cross-sectional analysis was to comprehensively explore characteristics of community-dwelling cyclists aged 65 years and older with a self-perceived need to increase cycle competence.
118 older adults (mean age 73.3 ± 5.2 years, 61% women) performed a standardized cycle course representing specific cycling skills. Additionally, health and functional assessments were carried out and characteristics regarding demographic, health, falls, bicycle equipment/type and cycling biography/behavior were obtained.
The majority (67.8%) of this community-dwelling adults reported being unsafe when cycling and 41.3% had a bicycle fall in the past year. More than half of the participants showed at least one limitation in each of the measured cycling skills. Women significantly had more frequent limitations in four of the cycling skills measured (p ≤ 0.001) compared to men. While no significant differences were found for falls, health and functional characteristics, women and men differed significantly in terms of bicycle type, equipment, and perceived safety (p < 0.001).
Limitations in cycling should be compensated by preventive bicycle training and a safe cycling infrastructure. Bicycle fit, the wearing of bicycle helmets and promotion of a sense of security while cycling can further reduce accident risk and must find recognition in safety guidelines. In addition, educational initiatives have to dismantle gender-related bicycle stereotypes.
老年人在与交通相关的事故中受伤或死亡的风险很大，他们的需求在安全指南、城市规划和未来的干预计划中应该得到更多的考虑。
本横断面分析的目的是全面探讨自我认为需要提高自行车技能的社区居住的 65 岁及以上自行车骑行者的特征。
118 名老年人（平均年龄 73.3±5.2 岁，61%为女性）完成了一项代表特定自行车技能的标准化自行车课程。此外，还进行了健康和功能评估，并获得了与人口统计学、健康、跌倒、自行车设备/类型和自行车生活史/行为有关的特征。
大多数（67.8%）社区居住的成年人在骑自行车时感到不安全，41.3%在过去一年中发生过自行车摔倒。超过一半的参与者在测量的自行车技能中至少有一项存在限制。与男性相比，女性在四项测量的自行车技能中更频繁地出现限制（p≤0.001）。虽然在跌倒、健康和功能特征方面没有发现显著差异，但女性和男性在自行车类型、设备和感知安全性方面存在显著差异（p<0.001）。
应通过预防性自行车训练和安全的自行车基础设施来弥补自行车技能的限制。自行车适配、佩戴自行车头盔以及促进骑自行车的安全感可以进一步降低事故风险，必须在安全指南中得到认可。此外，教育举措必须打破与性别相关的自行车刻板印象。
