Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Spine & Sports Rehabilitation Center, 1030 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60610, USA.
Am J Sports Med. 2011 Nov;39(11):2441-6. doi: 10.1177/0363546511419280. Epub 2011 Aug 19.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a potentially disabling neurologic injury that can occur in horseback riding. To date, no published study has examined the epidemiology of SCI from horseback riding in the United States, and few international studies exist on this topic. Several studies have described traumatic brain injuries, spine fractures, and extremity injuries; however, SCI patterns and outcomes in horseback riders are poorly understood.
This study was undertaken to characterize the demographics, SCI patterns, and neurologic outcomes of persons with SCIs related to horseback riding.
Descriptive epidemiologic study.
This is a retrospective review of 121 SCI cases from horseback riding in the National SCI Statistical Center database from 1973 to 2008. The treatment setting was 26 U.S. SCI Model Systems of Care. The number of injuries, gender, age, and SCI type for horseback riding were compared with other sports and activities. The level of preserved neurologic function, SCI completeness, American Spinal Injury Association classification, and mechanical ventilation use at discharge were examined in the horseback riding group.
The mean age of injury was 37.8 years (standard deviation, 15.2). The majority of patients were white (88%) and female (50.4%). Compared with diving, motorcycle riding, football, and gymnastics, horseback riding involved a significantly higher number of women (P < .005), a higher mean age of injury, and an equal likelihood of resulting in paraplegia and tetraplegia. The most common levels of preserved neurologic function were C4-C6, T12, and L1. Spinal cord injury from horseback riding most commonly resulted in incomplete tetraplegia (41%) followed by complete paraplegia (24%). Only 4 patients required mechanical ventilation on discharge from acute inpatient rehabilitation.
Spinal cord injury from horseback riding affects an equal proportion of women and men, has a wide age range, and most commonly results in incomplete tetraplegia followed by complete paraplegia. Study findings improve awareness of the demographics and neurologic outcomes of individuals with SCI from horseback riding and can help guide future studies evaluating SCI mechanisms in horseback riders to improve injury prevention and management.
脊髓损伤（SCI）是一种潜在的致残性神经系统损伤，可能发生在骑马时。迄今为止，尚无在美国发表的关于骑马导致 SCI 的流行病学研究，国际上对此类研究也很少。一些研究描述了创伤性脑损伤、脊柱骨折和四肢损伤；然而，骑马者 SCI 的模式和结果尚不清楚。
本研究旨在描述与骑马相关的 SCI 患者的人口统计学、SCI 模式和神经结局。
描述性流行病学研究。
这是对 1973 年至 2008 年国家 SCI 统计中心数据库中 121 例骑马相关 SCI 病例的回顾性分析。治疗地点是 26 个美国 SCI 模型护理系统。比较了骑马的受伤人数、性别、年龄和 SCI 类型与其他运动和活动。在骑马组中检查了出院时保留的神经功能、SCI 完整性、美国脊髓损伤协会分类和机械通气使用情况。
平均受伤年龄为 37.8 岁（标准差为 15.2）。大多数患者为白人（88%）和女性（50.4%）。与潜水、骑摩托车、踢足球和体操相比，骑马涉及的女性人数明显更多（P<.005），受伤的平均年龄更高，导致截瘫和四肢瘫痪的可能性相同。最常见的保留神经功能水平为 C4-C6、T12 和 L1。骑马导致的脊髓损伤最常见的是不完全性四肢瘫痪（41%），其次是完全性截瘫（24%）。只有 4 名患者在急性住院康复出院时需要机械通气。
骑马导致的脊髓损伤影响男女比例相等，年龄范围广泛，最常见的结果是不完全性四肢瘫痪，其次是完全性截瘫。研究结果提高了对骑马导致的 SCI 患者人口统计学和神经结局的认识，并有助于指导未来评估骑马者 SCI 机制的研究，以改善损伤预防和管理。
