Pattern of equestrian injuries presenting to a Sydney teaching hospital.
Abstract: Equestrian activities are associated with a high rate of injury. Attempts to reduce the incidence and severity of injury require accurate characterization of risk factors and pattern of injury. The present study was performed to analyse the injuries seen at an Australian centre where a large number of equestrian injuries present. Methods: Data were collected prospectively over a 3 year period on all equestrian injuries presenting to the Prince of Wales -Hospital complex. These data were compared against and combined with retrospectively collected data over the preceding 3 years at the same centre. Results: Two hundred and twenty-one injured equestrians presented (181 consented) in the prospective period of the study, and 208 presented in the retrospective period. Overall, 81% of riders were wearing a helmet at the time of their injury. Helmet use was associated with a significantly lower admission rate (27% vs 55%; P < 0.0001, from combined data). Recreational equestrians had a higher admission rate than professional equestrians, and had a significantly higher head and spine injury rate than the professional group. Rate of helmet use increased from 72% in the retrospective group to 91% in the more recent prospective group, and total admissions decreased from 43% to 14%. Conclusions: Significant and serious injuries are associated with equestrian activities, with the higher risk group being recreational equestrians, and riders not using a helmet. The pattern of injury favours head and spine in recreational and non-helmeted riders, and extremities for professional and helmeted riders. Helmet use is still not universal among riders, although an increase in its use may be contributing to an overall reduction in admission rate. Facial and spinal injuries still occurred in helmeted patients.
Publication Date: 2003-07-31 PubMed ID: 12887517DOI: 10.1046/j.1445-2197.2003.02707.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
Summary
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This research study analyzes the patterns of injuries related to equestrian activities observed in a Sydney hospital over six years. The data reveals a correlation between helmet usage, the severity of injuries, and the chance of hospital admission, emphasizing the evident higher risk among recreational riders and those not using helmets.
Methodology and Data Collection
- The study collected data from equestrian injuries that were treated at the Prince of Wales -Hospital complex over a span of six years. The study was divided into a retrospective period (the three years prior to the study) and a prospective period (the subsequent three years).
- During the prospective period, 221 equestrian injuries were reported, and 181 of these people consented to participate in this research.
- In the retrospective period, 208 equestrian injuries were recorded.
Results and Analysis
- The study revealed that 81% of the injured riders were wearing helmets when they sustained their injury.
- Riders wearing helmets had significantly lower hospital admission rates (27%) compared to those who weren’t wearing helmets (55%).
- Recreational riders had a higher rate of hospital admission than professional riders, and also had more reported head and spine injuries.
- The rate of helmet use increased from 72% in the retrospective period to 91% in the prospective period, correlating with a decrease in total hospital admissions from 43% to 14%.
Conclusions
- The research underlines that serious injuries are associated with equestrian activities, with recreational riders and those not using helmets being at higher risk.
- The most common injuries among recreational and non-helmeted riders were to the head and spine, while professional and helmeted riders more frequently sustained injuries to their extremities.
- Although the use of helmets is not yet universal among riders, the increase in their use may be contributing to a reduction in hospital admission rates.
- It was noted that despite the use of helmets, facial and spinal injuries still occur among riders, thus suggesting the necessity for further safety measures.
Cite This Article
APA
Lim J, Puttaswamy V, Gizzi M, Christie L, Croker W, Crowe P.
(2003).
Pattern of equestrian injuries presenting to a Sydney teaching hospital.
ANZ J Surg, 73(8), 567-571.
https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1445-2197.2003.02707.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Aged
- Animals
- Athletic Injuries / epidemiology
- Australia
- Child
- Child, Preschool
- Female
- Head Protective Devices / statistics & numerical data
- Horses
- Hospitals, Teaching
- Humans
- Infant
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Prospective Studies
- Recreation
- Retrospective Studies
- Risk Factors
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Spennemann DHR. Turbans vs. Helmets: A Systematic Narrative Review of the Literature on Head Injuries and Impact Loci of Cranial Trauma in Several Recreational Outdoor Sports.. Sports (Basel) 2021 Dec 20;9(12).
- 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.
- DeAraugo J, McLaren S, McManus P, McGreevy PD. Improving the Understanding of Psychological Factors Contributing to Horse-Related Accident and Injury: Context, Loss of Focus, Cognitive Errors and Rigidity.. Animals (Basel) 2016 Feb 15;6(2).
- 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.
- Carr D, Lindstrom AC, Jareborg A, Champion S, Waddell N, Miller D, Teagle M, Horsfall I, Kieser J. Development of a skull/brain model for military wound ballistics studies.. Int J Legal Med 2015 May;129(3):505-10.
- Altgärde J, Redéen S, Hilding N, Drott P. Horse-related trauma in children and adults during a two year period.. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 2014 Jul 17;22:40.
- Carmichael SP 2nd, Davenport DL, Kearney PA, Bernard AC. On and off the horse: mechanisms and patterns of injury in mounted and unmounted equestrians.. Injury 2014 Sep;45(9):1479-83.
- Triantafyllopoulos I, Panagopoulos A, Sapkas G. Mid-Thoracic Spinal Injuries during Horse Racing: Report of 3 Cases and Review of Causative Factors and Prevention Measurements.. Case Rep Orthop 2013;2013:715409.
- Ball JE, Ball CG, Mulloy RH, Datta I, Kirkpatrick AW. Ten years of major equestrian injury: are we addressing functional outcomes?. J Trauma Manag Outcomes 2009 Feb 19;3:2.
- Thomas KE, Annest JL, Gilchrist J, Bixby-Hammett DM. Non-fatal horse related injuries treated in emergency departments in the United States, 2001-2003.. Br J Sports Med 2006 Jul;40(7):619-26.
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