Pioneering research on advancements in equestrian sports medicine was on display at one of sports medicine’s greatest stages. With a focus on enhancing athlete performance and well-being, recent contributions from a research team led by Associate Professor Sara Gould, M.D., M.P.H., marked significant strides in the equestrian community.

The prestigious International Olympic Committee World Conference on Prevention of Injury and Illness in Sport, held in Monte Carlo, Monaco, is the premier conference for clinical aspects of sports and exercise medicine. Medical personnel from across the globe attend to share their knowledge and expertise in sports medicine, injury prevention, and health promotion. The IOC invited Dr. Gould to the conference to share her renowned advancements in concussion prevention and cutting-edge work studying the effects of head injury in collegiate and Olympic-level equestrians.

During the three-day conference, Gould presented two equestrian medicine research abstracts alongside multidisciplinary teams from UAB and Wake Forest University.

The first, titled “Does equestrian helmet type have an effect on head injury? A study on equestrian helmet use among collegiate athletes,” evaluates and identifies helmet use and head injury risks, and examines factors influencing these variables. This research was part of a joint study that included the UAB departments of Mechanical Engineering and Epidemiology and Sweet Briar University's athletic department.

The second abstract, “Head acceleration exposure during show jumping: measurements of an Olympic-level equestrian’s sub-concussive head acceleration events throughout the phases of jumping,” spotlights head acceleration events associated with the Olympic sport of showjumping, an area of research that previously had received little attention.

“It was an incredible honor to share our research on a global stage,” says Gould. “The format gave us the opportunity to raise awareness about preventing equestrian head injuries and provide a platform for next steps in research and implementation.”

Learn more about Dr. Gould’s research and the UAB Equestrian Sports Medicine Collaborative here.