Incidence of back pain in people practicing amateur horse riding
Authors: Ewa Puszczałowska-Lizis, Dominik Szymański, Piotr Pietrzak, Marcin Wilczyński
Journal: Fizjoterapia Polska
Summary
# Editorial Summary Amateur riders aged 40–45 years experience back pain at notably higher rates than the general population, yet the biomechanical causes remain poorly characterised in equestrian-specific literature. Puszczałowska-Lizis and colleagues surveyed 88 recreational riders using questionnaires and standardised disability indices (Neck Disability Index and Oswestry Disability Index) to map pain distribution patterns and attitudes toward physiotherapy intervention across this demographic. Sex-based differences emerged as statistically significant: women predominantly reported lumbar and thoracic involvement, whilst men experienced cervical and multi-segmental pain (p = 0.001), and women were substantially more likely to recognise physiotherapy as necessary for managing riding-related spinal complaints (p = 0.049). These findings suggest that postural compensation patterns during riding—whether driven by anatomical differences, saddle fit, or asymmetrical muscle development—produce distinct regional vulnerabilities that warrant gender-specific assessment and intervention protocols. For equine professionals, this work underscores the value of routine spinal screening in middle-aged amateur riders and highlights a potential education gap, particularly amongst male riders, regarding prophylactic physiotherapy as standard practice rather than reactive treatment.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Amateur riders should receive instruction on proper seat and trunk positioning to maintain alignment with the horse's centre of gravity, as poor positioning leads to cumulative spinal overload
- •Women riders may benefit from targeted assessment and physiotherapy for lumbar and thoracic complaints, while men should be screened for cervical involvement
- •Consider recommending preventive physiotherapy as part of routine care for amateur riders, particularly women who show higher uptake of this intervention
Key Findings
- •88 amateur riders aged 40-45 showed statistically significant gender differences in back pain location (p=0.001), with women reporting more lumbar and thoracic pain and men reporting more cervical and whole-spine pain
- •Women demonstrated significantly greater belief in the need for physiotherapy intervention for back problems in amateur riders compared to men (p=0.049)
- •Back pain incidence was associated with improper seat positioning and trunk alignment relative to the horse's centre of gravity