Workday Habits and Fatigue of American Jockeys.

Overview

• This study examines the daily work habits of American jockeys and investigates how these habits might relate to fatigue by measuring changes in their balance during a workday.

Study Objective

• To characterize the workday habits of American jockeys, including their caloric intake and race participation.
• To evaluate the relationship between these habits and fatigue, using changes in postural stability (balance) as an indicator of fatigue over the course of the workday.

Methods

• Participants: 37 American jockeys took part in the study.
• Testing Sessions:
  • Participants completed tests both before and after their race day events.
• Data Collection:
  • Questionnaires were used to assess workday habits such as caloric intake, fluid intake, sleep, and number of races ridden.
  • A 2-minute balance test was conducted using triaxial accelerometers placed on the unstable surface and on the sacrum (lower back region) to monitor postural stability.

Key Results

• Caloric Intake:
  • The median caloric intake during the workday was very low, at 263.8 kcal, indicating restricted eating behavior likely tied to weight management demands in jockeys.
• Balance/Stability:
  • Wilcoxon signed rank tests showed no statistically significant changes in balance measurements from pre-race to post-race during the workday.
  • This suggests that, according to the balance test, jockeys did not experience a measurable increase in fatigue manifesting as postural instability throughout the day.
• Correlations:
  • Sleep: There was a statistically significant negative correlation (τ = -0.41) between sleep and balance variables, meaning less sleep may relate to worse balance.
  • Number of races ridden: There was a positive correlation (τ = 0.37) between the number of races and balance variables, potentially indicating that more races might be related to aspects of balance or fatigue.

Conclusions

• Weight-Cycling Behavior: American jockeys primarily exhibit behaviors such as caloric and fluid restriction to manage weight, which could have health implications.
• No observable fatigue-related decline in balance/stability was detected across the workday, suggesting either that fatigue from racing is not sufficient to impact postural control or that this measure is not sensitive to the kind of fatigue experienced.
• Recommendations for Future Research:
  • Investigate other potential mechanisms of jockey fatigue that may not be captured by balance tests, such as abdominal muscle fatigue, which may impact core stability.
  • Explore cognitive fatigue, which may also influence jockey performance and safety but might not manifest through simple postural stability changes.