title: Horse-related trauma in children and adults during a two year period.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Horse riding, with almost 200,000 participants, is the eighth most popular sport in Sweden. Severe injuries can occur with horse riding accidents which is well documented. This study was undertaken to investigate if injuries associated with horse riding are common, which type of injuries occur, what mechanisms are involved and to estimate the costs to the society.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients attending the emergency department at Linköping University Hospital, during the years 2003-2004, due to horse related trauma were prospectively recorded. The patients were divided into two groups according to age, 147 children and 141 adults. The medical records were retrospectively scrutinized.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common mechanism of injury was falling from the horse. Most commonly, minor sprains and soft tissue injuries were seen, but also minor head injuries and fractures, mainly located in the upper limb. In total 26 adults and 37 children were admitted. Of these 63 patients 19 were considered having a serious injury. In total, four patients needed treatment in intensive care units. The total cost in each group was 200,000 Euro/year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Horse riding is a sport with well known risks. Our results corresponds to the literature, however we have not observed the same incidence of serious injuries. In contrast we find these to be fairly uncommon. The injuries are mainly minor, with a small risk of long term morbidity. Over time regulations and safety equipment seem to have decreased the number of serious accidents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Hospital, Linköping University, 581 85, Linköping, Sweden. jakal375@student.liu.se.
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Altgärde
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Hospital, Linköping University, 581 85, Linköping, Sweden. Stefan.redeen@lio.se.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Redéen
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, County Council of Östergötland, 581 85, Linköping, Sweden. niclas.hilding@lio.se.
authors.forename: Niclas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hilding
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Hospital, Linköping University, 581 85, Linköping, Sweden. peder.drott@lio.se.
authors.forename: Peder
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Drott
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult