Track surfaces and lameness

The racing surface is often regarded as the most important factor likely to influence the risk of injury. The effect that different course designs and surface types have on injury has been discussed for many years,1,2 and the surface and its management are obvious targets for immediate scrutiny after a racing injury. Certainly there are significant differences in the risk of injury among races held on turf, all-weather, and dirt tracks. On turf tracks there is also a significant effect of the firmness of the ground on injury risk. However, there are many other potentially less obvious factors that may also be related to the type and quality of the racing surface that influence the risk of injury during racing. In this chapter, the strength of evidence provided by a range of epidemiological studies is examined. Associations between injury and surface characteristics during both racing and training are described. The risk of injury on different surfaces and evidence from multivariable epidemiological studies that include surface characteristics are summarized. Comparisons of the same racecourse where changes have been made are discussed, and priorities for future research are identified