Michaela Keener: Multi-Sensor Occupation Specific Energy Expenditure Models for Race Riders

ABSTRACT Jockeys are non-standard, independent contractors with variable work patterns and strict weight restrictions for Thoroughbred jockeys resulting in dangerous weight-making strategies, including restricted calories, long-term fasting, and self-induced vomiting. There are currently no occupational-specific energy expenditure estimations for galloping activities including training on live horses and horse simulators. Pilot data show that riding a galloping simulator''s upper body movement patterns increase heart rate disproportionately to oxygen consumption. Oxygen consumption is the gold standard for calculating caloric expenditure. These findings suggest the need to include movement (kinematic) data to heart rate and respiration rate (kinetic data). Identifying occupational-specific energy expenditure is the first step to create future training and diet regimens to move away from jockeys using dangerous weight-making habits. Therefore, the aims of this study are 1) to develop a multi-sensor system to predict reliable energy expenditure through kinetics and kinematics data of race riders and kinematic data of the horse while exercising live horses, and 2) to advance a multi-sensor system from existing pilot data to predict energy expenditure through kinetics and kinematics data of race riders while training on a mechanical simulator. A multidisciplinary team with comprehensive expertise in equestrian sports, sports medicine, and occupational assessment has been assembled to accomplish this pilot project. The results of the pilot data align with previous research suggesting a combination of kinematic and kinetic data is optimal for more precise caloric expenditure prediction. The proposed study builds on this existing data to integrate new wearable technology and accurately evolve the current methodology to measure VO2 during galloping activities. The proposed research results will inform the racing community and health specialists working with race riders to create healthier training and diet regimens to shift away from current weight- making practices causing decrements in mental and physical health.