When BMX icon Dave Mirra was found dead of an apparent suicide last Thursday, his friends and family, as well as his many fans, were left asking: Why? Theories quickly emerged—namely, that the head injuries he sustained during his BMX career had harmed him more than was previously thought. Soon, publications ranging from the New York Daily News to the Guardian began tentatively linking Mirra’s death with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain condition better known as CTE.

CTE, which is brought on by repeated severe head impacts, has been associated with impulse control problems, depression, and progressive dementia. Athletes in full-contact sports such as football and hockey are believed to have a much higher risk of developing CTE. Barring a brain autopsy, it’s impossible to know whether Mirra suffered from CTE—but his death, along with an increasing awareness of the condition, has led many cyclists to wonder, and worry: Are they at risk of developing CTE?

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The short answer is, probably not. “Cyclists have little to fear from the long-term effects of concussions,” says Steve Broglio, director of the NeuroTrauma Researcher Laboratory at the University of Michigan, and a masters category bike racer. Broglio says that concussions are not so different from other bodily injuries; if given time to heal properly, athletes can expect a full and complete recovery with no lasting repercussions.

Researchers believe that CTE becomes a danger when the brain is repeatedly impacted, especially in an already-injured state. “The way CTE is often portrayed, people think if they’ve ever had a head injury, they’re going to get CTE,” says Broglio. And while increased awareness of concussions has certainly led to better treatment, Broglio says the widespread effects of CTE can be “blown out of proportion.”

For cyclists concerned about incurring a concussion, certain precautionary measures can greatly assist in properly diagnosing and treating the injury. (This is of special importance for those at a higher risk of incurring a head trauma—for example, racers, freestyle riders, or cyclists who’ve previously had a concussion,) The sport’s governing body, USA Cycling, recommends all racers have the SCAT2 or ImPACT cognitive baseline tests administered by a medical professional prior to the racing season. By determining an athlete’s baseline cognitive function prior to incurring a head injury, doctors can better diagnose a concussion, and make sure the cyclist is fully recovered prior to resuming riding.

As for avoiding a concussion in the first place, Broglio says that while traditional bike helmets generally do a good job of protecting our skulls, they do little to lessen the rotational forces in a crash that are responsible for brain injuries. A number of helmet makers now include special liners, like the MIPS Brain Protection System, that claim to lessen the impact of rotational forces in a crash and subsequently reduce the potential of suffering a concussion.

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Ian Dille

Ian Dille is a freelance writer and producer based in Austin, Texas. He tells stories about bikes, and other things, too.