Horse-riding accidents and injuries in historical records of Joseon Dynasty, Korea.

This research examines historical records from Korea’s Joseon Dynasty to investigate the frequency and impact of horse-riding accidents. The study reveals that these incidents were a common cause of injuries, particularly to the extremities, during this period.

Methodology

• The authors sifted through two main historical documents: the Seungjeongwon ilgi, or Diaries of the Royal Secretariat, and the Joseon wangjo silrok, or Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, both of which cover the Joseon period (1392-1910 CE).
• These texts provided critical insights into the frequency and nature of equestrian accidents which often led to injuries.

Findings

• The researchers found that horse-riding related accidents occurred almost every year between 1625-1872 CE, surpassing other causes of trauma.
• In total, they were able to study 142 recorded incidents of horse-riding accidents.
• Of these, roughly 38% of the records provided in-depth data about the nature and mechanism of the associated trauma.

Injury Distribution

• The researchers found that the most commonly injured part of the body were the extremities – the arms and legs – which accounted for almost 80% of all injuries.
• The next most commonly injured body part was the trunk, or the main body, comprising about 35% of injuries.
• The least common site of injury was the head, representing just under 5% of recorded injuries.

Implications

• While acknowledging that their study cannot account for every paleopathological (old bone injury) case, the authors conclude that horse-riding injuries were major contributors to skeletal trauma among ancient equestrian cultures.
• This research highlights the importance of considering historical context when assessing bone injuries in anthropological studies.