Horse-related injuries in a thoroughbred stabling area in Japan

Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2001 Oct;121(9):501-4. doi: 10.1007/s004020100278.

Abstract

To investigate the demographic details and patterns of injuries related to horse handling, we reviewed 637 horse-related injuries in 581 stable- or stud-workers in a representative area of thoroughbred stabling in Japan. We found that (1) injuries occurred most frequently in a group of a relatively young workers, with a seasonal variation; (2) the principal mechanism of injury was kicks, which accounted for 39.2% of all injuries, including 11 serious and one lethal visceral injuries; (3) the upper half of the body was more frequently involved than the lower half; and (4) the peripheral bones (hand and foot) and the ribs accounted for more than half of 148 fractures. These findings are distinct from those in horse-riding injuries reported in the literature and emphasize the importance in developing preventive strategies specifically for workers in horse stables.

MeSH terms

  • Accidents, Occupational* / statistics & numerical data
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Distribution
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Animals
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Fractures, Bone / etiology*
  • Head Injuries, Closed / etiology
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Injury Severity Score
  • Japan / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neck Injuries / etiology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Seasons
  • Wounds and Injuries / epidemiology*