A description of the severity of equestrian-related injuries (ERIs) using clinical parameters and patient-reported outcomes.
Abstract: Despite a number of injury prevention campaigns and interventions, horse riding continues to be a dangerous activity, resulting in more accidents per hour than motorcycling, skiing and football. Injuries are often serious, with one in four patients requiring admission to hospital. This study aims to describe the severity of equestrian-related injuries (ERIs) using both clinical parameters and patient-reported outcomes. Methods: A retrospective study of all patients aged ≥18 years admitted to The Alfred Hospital between January 2003 and January 2008 with an ERI was performed. Specific clinical data were extracted from the medical record. In addition, a questionnaire was conducted identifying the details of the accident, the required recovery time and levels of ongoing pain and physical disability. Results: During the study period 172 patients met the inclusion criteria. There were three deaths (2%). Eighty-two patients (48%) suffered head injuries. Forty-one patients (24%) were admitted to the ICU and 31 patients (18%) required mechanical ventilation. On discharge, 41 patients (24%) required transfer to a sub-acute rehabilitation facility. One-hundred-and-twenty-four patients (72%) completed the questionnaire. Thirty-nine respondents (31%) were not wearing a helmet. Among patients injured for more than 6 months, 38 (35%) still experienced moderate or severe pain or disability. Ninety-five patients had returned to work at the time of review, among which 47(50%) required longer than 6 months to recover, and 40 (42%) returned at a reduced capacity. Conclusions: The clinical and patient-reported outcomes of ERIs requiring hospital admission are poor. Persistent pain and disability are common, even up to 5 years post-injury. A large proportion of patients required longer than 6 months to return to work and many return at a reduced capacity.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2014-05-02 PubMed ID: 24933441DOI: 10.1016/j.injury.2014.04.017Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research study investigates the severity of horse riding-related injuries by analyzing both clinical parameters and individual patient reports. The study discovers that despite existing prevention efforts, horse riding remains hazardous, leading to severe injuries with poor outcomes and long-lasting impacts on patients.
Methods
- The study is retrospective in nature which means it utilises previous available data.
- Patients aged 18 and above who were admitted to The Alfred Hospital between January 2003 and January 2008 with equestrian-related injuries (ERIs) were included.
- Researchers collected various types of clinical data from the medical records.
- Patients were asked to fill out a questionnaire that sought information regarding details of the accident, recovery time, and the extent of persistent pain and physical disability.
Results
- Out of the 172 patients who met the inclusion criteria, three passed away as a result of their injuries, representing 2% of the group.
- Nearly half, 82 patients (48%), experienced head injuries that were a direct result of the accident.
- 41 patients, or 24%, needed intensive care unit (ICU) treatment and 31 patients (18%) required mechanical ventilation.
- Upon discharge from the hospital, 41 patients, representing 24% of the sample, needed a transfer to a rehab facility.
- Out of the 124 patients that completed the questionnaire, 39 (31%) claimed that they were not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.
- Persistent pain and disability were common among patients recuperating for more than 6 months, with 35% (38 individuals) experiencing moderate or severe symptoms.
- Within the group of 95 patients who had resumed working, nearly half (47) required over six months of recovery to do so, and over 40% returned to work with diminished capabilities.
Conclusions
- Based on clinical data and patient reports, the outcomes of patients suffering from ERIs were typically poor.
- Recovery periods were long, often more than six months, and many patients returned to their jobs with compromised capacities.
- Persistent pain and disability were common up to 5 years post-injury, suggesting long-term impacts on patients’ life quality.
Cite This Article
APA
Papachristos A, Edwards E, Dowrick A, Gosling C.
(2014).
A description of the severity of equestrian-related injuries (ERIs) using clinical parameters and patient-reported outcomes.
Injury, 45(9), 1484-1487.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2014.04.017 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National Trauma Research Institute, The Alfred Hospital, VIC, Australia. Electronic address: equestrianinjuries@gmail.com.
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Alfred Hospital, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Trauma Research, National Trauma Research Institute, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Abdominal Injuries / epidemiology
- Abdominal Injuries / physiopathology
- Abdominal Injuries / prevention & control
- Accidents, Occupational / prevention & control
- Accidents, Occupational / statistics & numerical data
- Adult
- Animals
- Athletic Injuries / epidemiology
- Athletic Injuries / physiopathology
- Athletic Injuries / prevention & control
- Craniocerebral Trauma / epidemiology
- Craniocerebral Trauma / physiopathology
- Craniocerebral Trauma / prevention & control
- Disability Evaluation
- Female
- Fractures, Bone / epidemiology
- Fractures, Bone / physiopathology
- Fractures, Bone / prevention & control
- Horses
- Humans
- Injury Severity Score
- Male
- Pain / epidemiology
- Patient Outcome Assessment
- Protective Devices / statistics & numerical data
- Retrospective Studies
- Risk Factors
- Spinal Injuries / epidemiology
- Spinal Injuries / physiopathology
- Spinal Injuries / prevention & control
- Surveys and Questionnaires
- Thoracic Injuries / epidemiology
- Thoracic Injuries / physiopathology
- Thoracic Injuries / prevention & control
- Trauma Centers / statistics & numerical data
Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- Riley CB, Padalino B, Rogers CW, Thompson KR. Human Injuries Associated with the Transport of Horses by Road.. Animals (Basel) 2023 May 10;13(10).
- Carter BT, Richardson MD. A retrospective study of helmet use and head injury in severe equestrian trauma.. J Neurosci Rural Pract 2023 Jan-Mar;14(1):161-164.
- Sritharan R, Blore CD, Gahir DS. Maxillofacial Horse Trauma: A 10-Year Retrospective Study at a UK Major Trauma Center.. Craniomaxillofac Trauma Reconstr 2022 Sep;15(3):201-205.
- Mutore K, Lim J, Fofana D, Torres-Reveron A, Skubic JJ. Hearing hoofbeats? Think head and neck trauma: a 10-year NTDB analysis of equestrian-related trauma in the USA.. Trauma Surg Acute Care Open 2021;6(1):e000728.
- Serio F, Fujii Q, Shah K, McCague A. Horsing Around: A Retrospective Review of Horse-Related Trauma.. J Emerg Trauma Shock 2019 Jan-Mar;12(1):69-70.
- Andres SA, Bushau-Sprinkle AM, Brier ME, Seger YR. Effects of body protection vests and experience levels in prevention of equestrian injuries.. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med 2018;4(1):e000426.
- Krüger L, Hohberg M, Lehmann W, Dresing K. Assessing the risk for major injuries in equestrian sports.. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med 2018;4(1):e000408.
- O'Connor S, Hitchens PL, Fortington LV. Hospital-treated injuries from horse riding in Victoria, Australia: time to refocus on injury prevention?. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med 2018;4(1):e000321.
- Weber CD, Nguyen AR, Lefering R, Hofman M, Hildebrand F, Pape HC. Blunt injuries related to equestrian sports: results from an international prospective trauma database analysis.. Int Orthop 2017 Oct;41(10):2105-2112.
- Haigh L, Thompson K. Helmet Use Amongst Equestrians: Harnessing Social and Attitudinal Factors Revealed in Online Forums.. Animals (Basel) 2015 Jul 17;5(3):576-91.
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