US scientists say horseback riding is more dangerous than soccer and car racing. Why?

US scientists say horseback riding is more dangerous than soccer and car racing. Why?

In the last 10 years, about 320 people have died because of horseback riding.

Sport is associated with a healthy lifestyle, but its flip side most often remains in the shadows. Yes, statistics of injuries and deaths are kept, but mostly in game and extreme sports. Meanwhile, seemingly harmless horseback riding is among the most dangerous. What’s wrong with it?

Head of the Department of Sports Marketing at Synergy University

The study of American colleagues is very interesting, because it draws attention to the problems significant for society. The results of this analysis can be called a valuable source for sports specialists, insurers and even bookmakers.

What do the scientists say?

Equestrian sport is considered one of the most popular leisure activities, so its dangers are often underestimated. Scientists from the United States have found out that the risk of injury during horseback riding is higher than during soccer, motor sports and downhill skiing. The study was published in the journal Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open. And it’s no wonder, because falling off a galloping horse is not going to do any good. The American actor Christopher Reeve is a good example of this, and after a similar incident he was in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Of course, this is not the only case – researchers have calculated the number of accidents in equestrian sport over the last 10 years and found almost 25 thousand cases of injuries during this time. Among them, 37% of people suffered chest injuries, 26.5% suffered arm and leg injuries, and 23% injured their heads. Abdominal injuries were the least common, accounting for 3,353 cases (13.5%).

Exercising for hours, especially without protective gear, increases the likelihood of hospitalization, scientists said. Almost everyone who suffered an injury ended up in a hospital bed. Most of the injured were transferred to the intensive care unit, while the rest were transferred to the operating room. Researchers also note that not all of those injured managed to avoid unfortunate consequences. Over the past 10 years, the number of fatalities totaled about 320. The main cause of death was head and neck injuries – the risk of dying in this case is 50% higher.

Why is the danger of equestrian sport underestimated?

To explain the interest of scientists in the research topic is simple. Let’s take an example: the most popular sport in the USA is American soccer (it is mentioned in the article), and its injury rate is widely discussed in the press. Society is concerned that soccer players not only get injured during training and competition, but feel the consequences at the end of their careers, for example, they are much more likely to suffer from dementia. There has been a widespread campaign in the U.S. to draw attention to soccer player safety, and protective equipment and regulations have been developed. Partly for this reason, many other sports, including equestrian sports, are overshadowed.

Andrei: In order to assess the injury rate of a sport, unconfirmed “injury statistics” are more often used rather than serious research. It is not surprising that due to the lack of reliable information, more and more people are practicing this or that sport without the necessary training. At the same time, the number of injuries is also increasing. Even in terms of the number of search engine queries about injuries, soccer significantly surpasses equestrian sports. Incorrect data is then used by insurance companies, which divide sports according to this criterion into several categories. Soccer most often falls into the second category and equestrian sports into the third. Meanwhile, the most dangerous sports are not insurable at all.