Back in October, I was turning onto a path via a curb cut, but I was going too fast and my front wheel slid out from under me. I scraped my hand and chin, and my knee was bruised and swollen. As I landed on my shoulder, my head flopped to the side and gently *tapped* the concrete.

If I hadn’t been wearing a helmet, my head would not have touched the ground. The force with which my head and helmet touched the ground felt equivalent to bumping your head on a desk as you bend down to pick up a pencil--you’re surprised, but not hurt. I didn’t lose consciousness or have neck pain, and my helmet has no visible scratches or scuffs.

I’ve heard and read helmets should be replaced after a crash--but what’s the degree of severity? Are there any rules-of-thumb e.g. if the helmet was scuffed from the impact, get a new helmet? The force with which my head touched the ground didn’t feel hard or severe, but is that because the helmet absorbed the impact? Do I need a new helmet?