Medicine in the Sport of Horse Racing.

Horseracing is among the most popular and increasingly lucrative industry sports in the nation. The average jockey must control a thoroughbred horse 10 times their weight that may act unpredictably whether at rest or full gallop resulting in falls, kicks, or even biting injuries. Despite the risks, jockeys do not have access to the same quality of medical care that is standard in similarly profitable sports organizations. Beyond the mental and physical demands of training and performance endured by any professional athlete, jockeys are confronted with health challenges unique to their sport. In this review of the literature, we aim to educate sports medicine physicians regarding the underlying causes of injuries, describe injury management, and make recommendations for appropriate preventive strategies. Overall, there is a void of literature, and so our authors offer expert opinion and encourage others to get involved in making this a safer sport.

Weight-Making Practices Among Jockeys: An Update and Review of the Emergent Scientific Literature.

Numerous publications have described the behaviors employed by professional jockeys on a daily basis to achieve and maintain a minimum racing weight. This narrative review provides an update of recent publications that report on the impact of such practices. Although rapid weight-loss techniques such as calorie restriction and dehydration are commonly thought to be deleterious to jockeys, little evidence exists of enduring health consequences. There is evidence to suggest that jockey training behaviors and dietary choices are not aligned with optimum preparation for the physiological demands of the sport. Further research is necessary to better measure the health impact of jockey weight-making behaviors; such data might guide reforms of athlete behavior and regulatory practices within the global sport of horse racing.