Helmet use in equestrian athletes: opportunities for intervention

Background: Equestrian athletes (horse riders) are at high risk for head injury, including concussions. Materials & methods: Adults riders were recruited via social media posting to complete a branching survey collecting data on demographics, riding experience, helmet use, injury history and con...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ansley Grimes Stanfill, Kayla Wynja, Xueyuan Cao, Drew Prescott, Sarah Shore, Brandon Baughman, Anthony Oddo, Jack W Tsao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Aldus Press 2021-03-01
Series:Concussion
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Online Access:https://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/10.2217/cnc-2020-0019
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Summary:Background: Equestrian athletes (horse riders) are at high risk for head injury, including concussions. Materials & methods: Adults riders were recruited via social media posting to complete a branching survey collecting data on demographics, riding experience, helmet use, injury history and concussion symptom knowledge. Results are reported as frequencies and percentages, with associations tested using chi-square with significance level p < 0.05. Results: Of the 2598 subjects, about 75% reported always wearing a helmet. Of those who did not, the most common reasons were that helmets are unnecessary (57.4%) or do not fit well (48.6%). Many indicated improper storage conditions and/or did not follow manufacturer’s replacement recommendations. Most (75.4%) reported a high level of comfort with recognizing concussion signs, with half experiencing a prior head injury. Conclusion: This information suggests opportunities for intervention to improve helmet use through increased fit, while the responses indicate a need for further education on proper helmet use.
ISSN:2056-3299