Skin injuries - Wear long sleeves and pants to protect your skin from a fall. Wash abrasions immediately and cover with a clean, dry bandage. You also may want to apply an antibiotic ointment to the damaged skin. See your doctor if the wound oozes excessively or becomes very red. You can help prevent saddle sores by wearing padded bicycle pants and equipping your bike with a gel seat.
Treatment involves rest, air-drying and sometimes application of warm heat.
Head injuries - The most important piece of bicycle safety equipment is the helmet. According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, a helmet can reduce the risk of a serious head injury by up to 85 percent. A helmet should fit snugly and sit flat on the head. The American Medical Association recommends that helmets meet the safety standards of the Snell Memorial Foundation or the American National Standards Institute. In addition to understanding and preventing specific injuries, common sense will also ensure safe cycling.