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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Clin Med / Spinal Injuries from Equestrian Activity: A US Nationwide St...
Journal of clinical medicine2025; 14(13); 4521; doi: 10.3390/jcm14134521

Spinal Injuries from Equestrian Activity: A US Nationwide Study.

Abstract: Equestrian activities can result in spine injuries. Most studies are from single centers, and none use a national database. It was the purpose of this study to describe the demographics, injury mechanisms, and types of equestrian-associated spinal injuries using a US national ED database. The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database was queried for equestrian-related spine injuries from 2000-2023. ED disposition was categorized as discharged or not discharged. Statistical analyses accounted for the weighted, stratified nature of the data to obtain national estimates. There were an estimated 54,830 patients, having an average age of 42 years. Most were female (73.6%) and White (93.7%); one-half (51.1%) were not discharged from the ED. The spine level was the lumbar (49.1%), thoracic (24.4%), sacrococcygeal (15.5%), and cervical (11.0%) spine. Multiple spine fractures occurred in 4.0%. A simple fall off a horse occurred in 53.6% of the injuries, and the patient was bucked/thrown/kicked off the horse in 39.7%. Neurologic injury was rare (1.8%). Hospital admission was highest in the cervical group (74.3%) and lowest in the sacrococcygeal group (33.5%). The cervical group had the highest percentage of males (43.7%) compared to the thoracic, lumbar, and sacrococcygeal groups (22.8%, 27.3%, 16.8%, respectively). There were proportionally fewer females in those over 50 years of age, where the male percentage was 11.7%, 25.6%, and 31.6% for those <18 years, 18-50 years, and >50 years old, respectively. This large study can be used as baseline data to evaluate further changes in equestrian injuries, especially the impact of further prevention strategies, education protocols, and legislative/governmental regulations of public equestrian localities.
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Publication Date: 2025-06-26 PubMed ID: 40648895PubMed Central: PMC12250276DOI: 10.3390/jcm14134521Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research article investigates the characteristics and patterns of spinal injuries associated with equestrian activities in the United States, using data from a nationwide database. The study aims to provide extensive, reliable data that can be used to enhance prevention strategies, educational protocols, and regulations around horse-riding locations.

Research Methodology

  • The study queried the comprehensive National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database for instances of equestrian-related spinal injuries from the year 2000 to 2023.
  • The patient’s disposition in the Emergency Department (ED) was divided into two categories: discharged or not discharged.
  • To get an accurate national estimate, the analyzed data was weighted and stratified.

Research Findings

  • There were an estimated total of 54,830 equestrian-associated spinal injury patients during the studied period, with an average age of 42.
  • The majority of these patients were female (73.6%) and White (93.7%).
  • About half of the patients (51.1%) were not discharged from the ED.
  • Regarding the location of the injury, the lumbar spine was most affected (49.1%), followed by the thoracic region (24.4%), the sacrococcygeal area (15.5%), and the cervical spine (11.0%).
  • Multi-level spinal fractures occurred in around 4.0% of the cases.
  • Most injuries were caused by a simple fall off a horse (53.6%), while patients being bucked, thrown, or kicked off constituted 39.7% of the cases.
  • Neurological injury was infrequent, only appearing in 1.8% of spinal injury cases.

Demographic Differences

  • Hospital admission rates were highest for patients with cervical injuries (74.3%), and lowest in the sacrococcygeal injury group (33.5%).
  • The group with cervical injuries also had the highest percentage of male patients (43.7%), compared to the thoracic (22.8%), lumbar (27.3%), and sacrococcygeal groups (16.8%).
  • The percentage of females decreased in the over-50 age group, where male proportions were 11.7%, 25.6%, and 31.6% in the under 18, 18-50, and over 50 age groups, respectively.

Implications of the Study

  • This study provides a solid dataset to be used as a baseline for evaluating trends in equestrian-related spinal injuries.
  • The insights from this research can be leveraged to advance prevention strategies, onboard educational protocols, and inform the legislative/government regulation of equestrian locations to ensure public safety.

Cite This Article

APA
Loder RT, Walker AL, Blakemore LC. (2025). Spinal Injuries from Equestrian Activity: A US Nationwide Study. J Clin Med, 14(13), 4521. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14134521

Publication

Journal of clinical medicine
ISSN: 2077-0383
NlmUniqueID: 101606588
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 14
Issue: 13
PII: 4521

Researcher Affiliations

Loder, Randall T
  • Riley Hospital for Children, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
Walker, Alyssa L
  • Riley Hospital for Children, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
Blakemore, Laurel C
  • Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC 22031, USA.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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