E-bike injuries among youth surge over 300% as micromobility market expands

New research presented at AAOS 2026 Annual Meeting highlights rising orthopaedic injuries; organization offers safety strategies to protect young riders

NEW ORLEANS, March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Electronic bicycles (e-bikes) have surged in popularity in the United States in recent years. As e-bike use has increased, so have associated accidents and injuries, particularly among children and teenagers. A new study presented at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), "E-Bike Orthopaedic Injuries Amongst Pediatric and Adolescent Patients at a Level 1 Trauma Center," found that youth are experiencing a growing number of severe orthopaedic injuries related to e-bike usage, highlighting the need for community-based e-bike safety strategies.

In the fast-growing micromobility market, e-bikes have emerged as a convenient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly transportation option. However, because e-bikes reach higher speeds up to 28 mph and do not require a license to operate, there is a greater risk of high-energy collisions involving riders, cars and pedestrians. From 2019 to 2023, the number of e-bike accidents involving children in San Diego rose by over 300%. These accidents have resulted in a dramatic rise in serious orthopaedic injuries, including extremity trauma and fractures, in young people using e-bikes.

"In a short period of time, we have seen a significant number of micromobility-related trauma activations among children and adolescents, and these types of orthopaedic injuries typically require surgery, hospital stays and rehabilitation," said Rachel Mednick Thompson, MD, FAAOS, orthopaedic surgeon at Rady Children's Hospital / University of California San Diego. "While we know e-bike accidents can result in more extreme injuries for kids, especially those who lack experience operating them, there has been a paucity of data focused specifically on orthopaedic injuries associated with e-bikes in this patient population. Our findings underscore the need for community-wide strategies for injury prevention, regulation and education on e-bike use."

While previous studies have confirmed that e-bike-related accidents among young people often result in higher rates of concussions and internal injuries, this study looked at rising orthopaedic injuries associated with e-bikes among pediatric and adolescent patients under 18. From 2017 through 2023, researchers conducted a retrospective review of 338 e-bike and pedal-bike trauma activations at a single pediatric Level 1 trauma center in San Diego. Patients were grouped by their mode of micromobility, and the research team evaluated factors like demographics, mechanism of injury, helmet use, ICU admission and socioeconomic background.

Study highlights:

• Over the study period, e-bikes were increasingly responsible for trauma activations, jumping from only 2% in 2017 to 64% in 2023.
• Patients in e-bike accidents were more likely to sustain extremity injuries [odds ratio (OR) = 4.2, p< 0.001] and sustained more fractures (0.6 vs 0.2 fractures, p< 0.001) as compared to those involved in pedal-bike accidents.
• Patients in e-bike accidents were more likely to be older (12.6 vs. 10.3 years, p< 0.001) and more likely to have more socioeconomic advantage (based on ADI state quartile) (1.7 vs. 2.8 p< 0.001) than those involved in pedal bike accidents.
• Patients in pedal bike accidents were less likely to be wearing a helmet (OR = 3.0, p< 0.001) and more likely to sustain head injuries (OR = 2.4, p< 0.001) compared to e-bike accidents.

"The micromobility market is expected to grow exponentially in the next few years. Our research team is hopeful that communities will recognize the public health risk that e-bikes and other forms of alternative transportation now present and start having meaningful conversations about safety," said Dr. Thompson. "Are there better ways to regulate micromobility? Should a license be required to operate an e-bike? Are age limits worth considering? These are all important questions that legislators and community leaders should consider as they move forward. There are practical steps that all communities can take immediately, in partnership with pediatricians, school systems and families, to better protect youth and reduce the number of micromobility-related accidents." 

E-Bike Safety Tips

AAOS encourages all riders to understand the unique physical risks these micromobility products present before taking to roads and trails. For essential bike safety strategies, including tips for properly fitted helmets, visit OrthoInfo.org.

2026 AAOS Annual Meeting Disclosure Statement

About AAOS
With more than 39,000 members, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons is the world's largest medical association of musculoskeletal specialists. AAOS is the trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal health. It provides the highest quality, most comprehensive education to help orthopaedic surgeons and allied health professionals at every career level to best treat patients in their daily practices. AAOS is the source for information on bone and joint conditions, treatments, and related musculoskeletal healthcare issues; and it leads the healthcare discussion on advancing quality.

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SOURCE American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons