title: Fall and injury incidence rates of jockeys while racing in Ireland, France and Britain.
abstract: This article presents and analyses injury incidence rates for amateur and professional racing jockeys in Ireland, France and Britain by means of a retrospective study and review of published data. Amateur jump racing was seen to have the highest fall risk in these three countries (between 115 and 140 falls/1000 rides). Jump racing also had the highest rates of injury/ride amongst both amateur and professional jockeys. Flat racing, however, had the highest rates of injuries/fall (34-44%). Of all the injuries in both jump and flat racing populations of amateur and professional jockeys, 15% were concussive head injuries, and more than half of these involved loss of consciousness. Professional jump jockeys in Ireland fell less frequently than those in France or Britain. Their injury/fall rate and injury/ride rate were highest in Britain. Professional flat racing jockeys in France had the lowest rates of injuries/fall and injuries/ride, while those in Ireland had the highest.
authors.affiliation: School of Electrical, Electronic & Mechanical Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Manuel A Forero
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rueda
authors.forename: Walter L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Halley
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Gilchrist
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000818:Animals; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001924:Brain Concussion / Q000453:epidemiology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018582:Sick Leave; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology