Horseback riding-related injuries treated in emergency departments: Risk factors and prevention strategies

Asa, Nicole; Newton, Alison M.; Sullivan, Lindsay; Shi, Junxin; Wheeler, Krista K.; Smith, Gary A.; Yang, Jingzhen

doi:10.1016/j.jsr.2019.09.004

Cited by 9 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 13 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Our results demonstrate that this group of patients is dominated by the female sex, has a heavy majority of patients who are under the age of 18, and most commonly sustain injuries due to falling off the horse. These findings are corroborated by other studies [ 3 , 15 , 16 ]. Although mortality and the need for intensive care in the total cohort were very low at 0.03% and 1.2%, respectively, 24.9% of the cohort required hospital admission.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Horse-riding hazards: an observational cohort study mapping equestrian related injuries at a Scandinavian trauma centre

Lindgren

Hammarqvist

Hulme

2023

BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduction Horse-riding is practiced on a regular basis by 500,000 people in Sweden. It is reputed to be one of the most dangerous sports. On average, there were 1756 acute injuries and three fatalities each year between 1997 and 2014 in Sweden related to horses. The primary aim of this study was to outline the injury spectrum related to equestrian activities cared for at a large Swedish trauma centre. The secondary aim was to identify trends in clinical outcomes and to investigate the association between age and such outcomes. Material and methods The electronic medical records system at Karolinska University Hospital was queried for patients cared for due to equestrian related trauma between July 2010 and July 2020. Complementary data were gathered using the hospital’s Trauma Registry. No exclusion criteria were applied. Descriptive statistics were used to outline the injury spectrum. Age was split into four categories which were compared using the Kruskal–Wallis H test or the Chi-squared test. Logistic regression was used to analyse correlations between age and outcomes. Results A total of 3036 patients were included with 3325 injuries identified as equestrian related. The hospital admission rate was 24.9%. The cohort had one death. Regression analysis showed significant associations between decreasing risk of upper extremity injury (p < 0.001), increasing risk of vertebral fractures (p = 0.001) and increasing risk of thoracic injury (p < 0.001) with increasing age. Conclusions Equestrian activities are not without risks. The morbidity is high, and injuries are taken seriously by the medical profession, reflected by the high admission rate. There are age-related variations in the injury spectrum. Older age appears to predispose to vertebral fractures and thoracic injuries. Other factors than age appear more important in determining the need for surgery or admission to ICU.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Horse-riding hazards: an observational cohort study mapping equestrian related injuries at a Scandinavian trauma centre

Lindgren

Hammarqvist

Hulme

2023

BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Another place where new levels of risk interpretation around human safety were required was in the call to “protect the NHS” (National Health Service) by not taking unnecessary risks which could potentially result in hospital visits. Given that horse riding (or care) is, by nature, a particularly risky activity with a high injury burden [ 18 , 19 , 20 ], there were calls in the equine community to either stop riding outright, or at least reduce more risky activities (such as jumping). Six LYO/Ms felt that an outright ban on riding was most appropriate, as in P8’s case:…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Equine Management in UK Livery Yards during the COVID-19 Pandemic—“As Long As the Horses Are Happy, We Can Work Out the Rest Later”

Furtado

Perkins

McGowan

et al. 2021

Animals

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Approximately 60% of the UK’s leisure horses are kept at livery yards under the management and oversight of a livery yard owner or manager (LYO/M), yet their role has received little research attention. This study used the COVID-19 pandemic as a lens through which to view LYO/Ms’ decisions around equine care and management at a time when changes to usual practice were necessary. Qualitative research methods were used. Up to 3 interviews were conducted with 24 different LYO/Ms over nine months (n = 48). Discussion threads from open-access UK discussion fora were also analysed. All data were anonymised and analysed using a Grounded Theory methodology. Prior to the pandemic, equine care and management practices varied greatly across yards, and yard cultures were a product of LYO/Ms’ construction of good equine care, their business model, and the need to balance human and equine contentment. The role of the LYO/M was to maintain an equilibrium between those interlinked factors. During the pandemic, LYO/Ms adopted new measures designed to influence the movement of horse owners and other people on yards to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission. During this time, LYO/Ms reported prioritising equine wellbeing by limiting change to equine routines and management wherever possible. Instead of altering equine management, there was an expectation that the lives of humans would be moulded and re-shaped to fit with the government COVID-19 guidelines. These results highlight the importance of routines, traditions and cultures in each individual yard. Maintaining the standard of care for the horse was prioritised regardless of who provided that care.

show abstract

“…Racing and stud grooms have increased manual labour and equine contact hours in comparison to jockeys, which may explain the differences in injury profile, reflecting the complex nature of the role of horseracing grooms. Whilst the horse is a significant risk factor for injury in both ridden and handling roles (see [ 6 ] for full review), additional occupational risks may exist for stable staff that are not seen in jockeys [ 2 , 4 ] despite both working in high-risk occupations [ 7 ]. Previous research and anecdotal reports highlight that whilst staff experience high levels of injury, the likelihood of reporting injuries, seeking time-off or treatment, or resting during recovery is low [ 2 , 4 , 8 , 9 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is Injury an Occupational Hazard for Horseracing Staff?

Davies

McConn-Palfreyman

Parker

et al. 2022

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Occupational health is a key priority for the horseracing industry, yet little research on occupational injuries exists. This study investigated the prevalence and the effect of injury in British horseracing staff during a 12-month period. An online retrospective survey was answered by 352 participants, identifying self-reported injury prevalence, injury management practices and attitudes towards workplace injury reporting. Chi Squared tests for independence were undertaken. A total of 310 (88.1%) staff reported injuries; risk factors for injury type included self-perceived job security, working hours, and perceived job control. Physical limitations, loss of confidence, workplace changes, and lifestyle implications were reported as consequences of injury. A total of 75.3% (n = 134) of staff were likely to seek time-off following fractures, but only 48.6% (n = 86) would take time-off for concussion. Attitudes towards injury management were influenced by financial circumstances, perceived staff shortages, previous injury experiences, and perceived employer expectations. The high self-reported injury prevalence could result in decreased workforce efficiency, poor physical health, and negative implications on retention and career longevity. The perception of invisible injuries, i.e., concussion, and subsequent management, should be of immediate concern to racing organizations. This paper identifies recommendations to enhance the safety and wellbeing of horseracing staff.

show abstract

Horseback riding-related injuries treated in emergency departments: Risk factors and prevention strategies

Cited by 9 publications

References 13 publications

Horse-riding hazards: an observational cohort study mapping equestrian related injuries at a Scandinavian trauma centre

Horse-riding hazards: an observational cohort study mapping equestrian related injuries at a Scandinavian trauma centre

Equine Management in UK Livery Yards during the COVID-19 Pandemic—“As Long As the Horses Are Happy, We Can Work Out the Rest Later”

Is Injury an Occupational Hazard for Horseracing Staff?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About