25 children an HOUR are hospitalized with bicycle injuries, study shows - and experts say it's because too few wear helmets.

More than 2.2 million children in the US were sent to the emergency room for bicycle-related injuries over a 10-year period, a new study has found.

That's the equivalent of about 25 children every hour, according to the researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

Although the most common types of injuries seen were bruises, scrapes and cuts, about 11 percent of visits were due to brain injuries. 

The team believes this is because of a lack of children above the age of 10 wearing helmets, leading to an increase of severe injuries among preteens and teenagers.

 

For the study, the researchers looked at children between the ages of five and 17 over a 10-year period, from 2006 to 2015.    

The majority of patients who wound up in the ER were between 10 and 14 years old and mostly boys.  

The most commonly injured body region was the upper extremities - such as the shoulder, elbow and wrist - with 36 percent of kids suffering injuries there. 

Almost 25 percent of injuries occurred in the lower extremities - including the leg and foot - followed by the face and then the head and neck.

Dr Lara McKenzie, with the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital and the lead author of the study, told Daily Mail Online that traumatic brain injuries accounted for almost 11 percent, or 224,000, of the emergency room visits.

Currently, only 21 states, and the District of Columbia, require the use of helmets by riders under a certain age despite studies showing that helmets protect against serious injuries.  

Experts say that the side straps of the child's helmet should form a 'V' around the ears, there should be a two finger width space between the eyebrow and the helmet edge, and the chin strap should be secure. 

The researchers also add that kids are more likely to put on a helmet if they see their parents wearing one so it is critical to set a good example. 

'As parents we want to model good behavior so we recommend you wear one even if you didn’t when you were a kid,' Dr McKenzie said.

'Even in my own neighborhood I see kids have helmets on but the parents don't and I think in the case of the adults: "Who is going to take care of your kid if you get hurt"?'

Bicycle-riding has been shown to help develop balance among children as well as strengthening the heart, lungs, and lower-body muscles and bones. 

'We want parents and kids to keep riding their bikes, but it's important for all riders to wear a helmet,' said Dr McKenzie.

She recommends choosing helmets with a sticker indicating that it is certified by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.