And Disney’s Animal Kingdom has the newest roller coaster. If you want to accelerate from 0 to 57 mph in just 2.8 seconds and experience more G Force than a Shuttle launch then Aerosmith’s Rock N Roller Coaster at Disney Hollywood Studios is the place to be. The Disney classic roller coasters Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain. Several months ago, a 13-year-old girl died of brain swelling two days after she was hit in the head with a hockey puck at a game.Which Disney World Roller Coaster To Ride First?ĭisney World may be the most magical place on earth but it also has some pretty spectacular roller coasters. Some people who suffer brain injuries seem fine for hours or days, and then end up collapsing. "You should just be aware if the kid gets off the ride with a headache or disorientation, they should be medically checked, and not sent back on the ride." "If there is no pre-existing condition, the number of times they ride isn't proven to increase risk," Ghajar said. Anyone who has or has had brain aneurysms or a stroke should also avoid the rides.Ĭhildren who ride multiple times are not really at any greater risk compared to one-time thrill seekers, Ghajar said. People with spinal injuries are at greater risk for exacerbating those injuries, Ghajar said. The rides increase blood pressure and heart rate, so those with high blood pressure or heart problems would be wise to stay off the rides. So as long as children obey the rules of the ride, they should be fine, Ghajar said. Generally the risks apply to older people more than children, because they are more likely to have such conditions. Roller coaster enthusiasts can never be 100 percent protected on rides, but from what experts know now, people with pre-existing conditions are at the greatest risk for injury, Ghajar said. At 6 G's, a typical 170-pound rider will feel as though they weigh over 1,000 pounds, or six times heavier. When you are on the ground, you are essentially neutral, at 1G, but some newer rides will increase the force of gravity on your body up to 6 G's for seconds at a time. With speeds topping 80 mph, roller coasters exert a higher force of gravity, or G-force, on a rider's body compared to what they normally experience. Yet not completely restraining the head on rides can be dangerous, too, because it could place more force on the spine, and lead to more spinal injuries, Ghajar said. But one of the major causes of brain trauma is a kind of tossing of the brain, in which it is bounced around inside the skull, and injured.Įven though the brain is protected by the skull, and is surrounded by liquid that cushions it, rapid movement can be dangerous. The committee has not reached any conclusions yet. "They are looking at the force applied to the brain at various G-force levels, and how the brain is moved around on these rides," he said. Meanwhile, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, has assembled a national committee of neurosurgeons, NASA scientists and engineers are looking at how the stress of G-forces from roller coasters might affect our brains, Ghajar said. In October, New Jersey will become the first state to limit G-forces on rides. You are more likely to suffer a serious head injury driving to and from the park."īut there is growing concern about the force of gravity that is exerted on people as they ride these faster roller coasters. "In terms of deaths, there are one in 150 million. "In terms of the number of injuries, they see one in every 15 million riders," Ghajar told Good Morning America. Jamshid Ghajar, a neurosurgeon at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York, and president of the Brain Trauma Foundation, said that there are risks associated with roller coasters, but the likelihood of injury is relatively small. But after taking one look at these 300-foot-tall structures, you don't have to be a worried mom to wonder: How fast is too fast, and is "safe" safe enough?ĭr. Over 300 million people flock to theme parks in the United States annually, and each year, these screaming, shrieking fans are seeking a bigger, faster, and wilder ride than the one they went on the year before. J- There's nothing like the highs and lows, the twists and turns, the thrills and that weightless feeling you can only find on a high-tech, fast-paced roller coaster.
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