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Analysis of horse-related injuries in children

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the present study was to investigate factors affecting the nature, characteristics, severity and outcome of horseback and horse care injuries in paediatric patients and to create guidelines for injury prevention.

Methods

Detailed clinical records of 265 children sustained horse-riding related injuries have been analysed. Questionnaires were mailed to provide follow-up information for patients who have been treated in either Department of Paediatric Surgery in Pécs, Hungary, or Department of Paediatric Surgery in Graz, Austria between 1999 and 2003. Those 112 children (42%) who answered the questionnaire were included in the study and further analyses were performed.

Results

Female to male ratio of the 112 patients was 101/11. Trauma occurred during horseback riding accounted for 76.8% of all cases; these injuries represented more severe cases comparing to those which happened while handling a horse (23.2%). The mechanism as well as the localisation of injury displayed a close association with age.

Conclusions

Prevention strategies targeting horse-related injuries at children should appreciate the age-dependent nature of injury as well as the fact that injury severity is not necessarily associated with the experience of the rider.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Austrian Committee for Injury Prevention in Childhood (Grosse Schuetzen Kleine, Safe Kids Austria) for assistance in data analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Surgery Unit, Department of Paediatrics, University of Pécs, József A. u. 7, 7633, Pecs, Hungary

    Katalin Kiss & András Pintér

  2. Department of Paediatric Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 34, 8036, Graz, Austria

    Paul Swatek, Johannes Mayr, Barbara Schmidt & Michael E. Höllwarth

  3. Faculty of Humanity, Department of Sociology, University of Pécs, Rókus u. 2, 7624, Pecs, Hungary

    Imre Lénárt

Authors
  1. Katalin Kiss
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  2. Paul Swatek
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  3. Imre Lénárt
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  4. Johannes Mayr
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  5. Barbara Schmidt
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  6. András Pintér
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  7. Michael E. Höllwarth
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Katalin Kiss.

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Kiss, K., Swatek, P., Lénárt, I. et al. Analysis of horse-related injuries in children. Pediatr Surg Int 24, 1165–1169 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-008-2214-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-008-2214-9

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