Ursachen, Verletzungen, Therapie und Präventionsmöglichkeiten von Unfällen im Reitsport

Abstract

Equestrians wear helmets increasingly more when riding but the willingness to wear body protectors is disappointing. Protective headgear has been proven to reduce the risk of injuries but based on these data a positive effect of body protectors could not be shown. In this study safety vest users suffered from injuries of the upper body more often than those who did not wear a body protector. Children and adolescents often overestimate their skills; therefore, teaching and supervision of inexperienced young riders along with the use of protective equipment can prevent major injuries.

Factors Influencing the Safety Behavior of German Equestrians: Attitudes towards Protective Equipment and Peer Behaviors

“…The most common horse-related injuries involve the head, the spine, or the extremities [ 5 , 14 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Head injuries are the most serious and most deadly [ 9 , 19 , 20 ].…”

“…The most common horse-related injuries involve the head, the spine, or the extremities [ 5 , 14 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Head injuries are the most serious and most deadly [ 9 , 19 , 20 ]. In addition to education about horse behavior, safe riding practices, and the proper handling of horses, as well as an increase in personal safety awareness, the use of protective equipment such as helmets or protective vests are commonly recommended strategies to avoid serious horse-related injuries [ 2 , 4 , 7 , 19 , 21 ].…”

“…Head injuries are the most serious and most deadly [ 9 , 19 , 20 ]. In addition to education about horse behavior, safe riding practices, and the proper handling of horses, as well as an increase in personal safety awareness, the use of protective equipment such as helmets or protective vests are commonly recommended strategies to avoid serious horse-related injuries [ 2 , 4 , 7 , 19 , 21 ]. Several studies have already examined and confirmed the effectiveness of helmets within different sports regarding their potential to prevent both frequency and severity of injury, indicating a head injury risk reduction of 60–88%, depending on the type of sport [ 2 , 7 , 22 , 23 , 24 ].…”

“…Regarding the equestrian context, previous studies noted a considerable decrease in both the severity and frequency of head injuries due to an increased use and improved design of protective helmets [ 4 , 10 , 18 , 25 ]. Although an increasing acceptance and awareness regarding the utility of helmets has already been shown, numerous studies report a high number of incidents and very low or inconsistent voluntary use of safety equipment [ 4 , 6 , 7 , 14 , 18 , 19 , 26 , 27 ]. Most studies regarding helmet use report low rates, with fewer than 40% of riders wearing helmets at the time of injury [ 3 , 7 , 9 , 12 , 14 ].…”

“…Most studies regarding helmet use report low rates, with fewer than 40% of riders wearing helmets at the time of injury [ 3 , 7 , 9 , 12 , 14 ]. In contrast to the studies on helmets, there is still a need for research to confirm the effectiveness of protective vests, which are also less commonly used than helmets [ 2 , 10 , 19 ]. However, the wearing of protective vests is often generally recommended and they are also becoming increasingly popular [ 2 , 7 ].…”