Summary
Horse racing jockeys suffer high rates of concussions. The impact of these injuries are the focus of new international studies to know more about the potential long-term effects and risk factors associated with concussions in high-impact sports.
A New Partnership
The NFL is partnering with the independent International Concussion and Head Injury Research Foundation (ICHIRF) to fund research to learn more about the potential long-term effects and risk factors associated with concussions. These findings will inform other contact sports and provide insights that may help improve the safety of athletes.
Professional jockeys are reported to have an especially high rate of concussions. One study that began in January 2016 is initially focused on retired jockeys in Britain, Ireland and France.
The independent, longitudinal Concussion in Sport Project is investigating whether these athletes “have an increased incidence, or suffer earlier onset, of neuro-degenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease and … chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).”
Initial volunteers for the Concussion in Sport study, according to the ICHIRF, include former champion jockeys Richard Dunwoody, Sir Anthony McCoy, Peter Scudamore, John Francome and Stan Mellor.
