Ekinci Mehmet, Günen Erol, Ataoglu Cuneyt, Yilmaz Murat
Department Of Orthopaedics And Traumatology, Haseki Training And Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg. 2024 Jan;30(12):892-899. doi: 10.14744/tjtes.2024.26177.
The aim of our study is to analyze the orthopedic injuries and the use of protective equipment among commercial motorcycle couriers during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in a level 1 trauma center in Istanbul, to provide epidemiological data, and to serve as a baseline for future studies.
Commercial motorcycle couriers involved in traffic accidents while working, and who were brought to the emergency department between April 2020 and April 2022, were included in our study. The protective equipment worn at the time of the accidents, including helmets, jackets, pants, gloves, and boots, were recorded. The orthopedic injuries and the applied treatments (both conservative and surgical) were documented, and injuries to other body regions and injury types were recorded in consultation with other medical departments. Additional data, including the duration of the driving license, the engine displacement of the motorcycle, any motorcyclist training, weather conditions, the estimated speed during the accident, and the time of the accident, were also noted.
A total of 255 commercial motorcycle couriers were included in the study. Most of the injuries (56.9%) involved major trauma, with the foot and ankle region being the most commonly affected body area (31.8%). Helmets were the most commonly used protective equipment (n=197, 77.3%), while motorcycle boots were the least used (n=54, 21.2%). Fifty participants (19.6%) did not use any protective equipment, including helmets, while 22.7% of commercial motorcycle couriers wore only helmets. Only 27 couriers wore full protective gear for motorcycle riding. There were 157 fractures, of which seven were open fractures (4.5%).
As wearing a helmet is mandatory when riding a motorcycle, the use of protective equipment other than helmets was relatively low, leading to a high prevalence of extremity injuries. Our study emphasizes the necessity of advanced motorcycle riding training for these professionals, raising awareness among motorcycle couriers about the importance of protective gear, and enhancing inspections through the implementation of legal regulations on this issue.
我们研究的目的是分析2019年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行期间，伊斯坦布尔一家一级创伤中心内商业摩托车快递员的骨科损伤情况及防护装备的使用情况，以提供流行病学数据，并作为未来研究的基线。
纳入2020年4月至2022年4月期间工作时遭遇交通事故并被送往急诊科的商业摩托车快递员。记录事故发生时佩戴的防护装备，包括头盔、夹克、裤子、手套和靴子。记录骨科损伤情况及所采取的治疗措施（保守治疗和手术治疗），并与其他医学科室协商记录身体其他部位的损伤情况和损伤类型。还记录了其他数据，包括驾照时长、摩托车发动机排量、是否接受过摩托车骑行培训、天气状况、事故发生时的估计速度以及事故发生时间。
本研究共纳入255名商业摩托车快递员。大多数损伤（56.9%）为严重创伤，足部和踝部区域是最常受影响的身体部位（31.8%）。头盔是最常用的防护装备（n = 197，77.3%），而摩托车靴使用最少（n = 54，21.2%）。50名参与者（19.6%）未使用任何防护装备，包括头盔，而22.7%的商业摩托车快递员仅佩戴了头盔。只有27名快递员穿戴了全套摩托车骑行防护装备。共有157处骨折，其中7处为开放性骨折（4.5%）。
由于骑乘摩托车时必须佩戴头盔，除头盔外其他防护装备的使用相对较少，导致四肢损伤的发生率较高。我们的研究强调了对这些专业人员进行高级摩托车骑行培训的必要性，提高摩托车快递员对防护装备重要性的认识，并通过实施关于此问题的法律法规加强检查。
