Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Rodeo injuries and prevention

  • Published:
Current Sports Medicine Reports

Abstract

Rodeo is a fast-moving sport with highly talented and tough athletes. Prevalence of injury is high, especially in rough stock events, which include bareback, saddle bronc, and bull riding. In bull riding, the incidence of injury is reported at 32.2 injuries per 1000 competitor-exposures. While a number of different injuries can occur during bull riding, concussions are often the most alarming. However, they may also be the most amenable to prevention, despite resistance from rodeo cowboys and organization rulemakers to the use of protective headgear and lack of adherence to recovery guidelines. Rodeo athletes want to return to their sport despite injuries and rarely seek medical care; nonetheless, arena-side health care is still utilized and appreciated by rodeo cowboys. This article addresses the need for greater use of preventative equipment, the importance of allowing full recovery from concussions, and the need to make medical care more available to the rodeo athlete.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References and Recommended Reading

  1. Crichlow R, Williamson S, Geurin M, Heggem H: Self-reported injury history in Native American professional rodeo competitors. Clin J Sport Med 2006, 16:352–354.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Shannon AL, Ferrari R, Russell AS: Alberta rodeo athletes do not develop the chronic whiplash syndrome. J Rheumatol 2006, 33:975–977.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Brandenburg MA, Archer P: Mechanisms of head injury in bull riders with and without the Bull Tough helmet: a case series. J Okla State Med Assoc 2005, 98:591–595.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Butterwick DJ, Brandenburg MA, Andrews DM, et al.: Agreement statement from the 1st international rodeo research and clinical care conference: Calgary, Alberta, Canada (July 7–9, 2004). Clin J Sport Med 2005, 15:192–195.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Kotarba JA: Conceptualizing sports medicine as occupational health care: illustrations from professional rodeo and wrestling. Qual Health Res 2001, 11:766–779.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. The Justin Sportsmedicine Team: Rodeo Injury Report: 25 Years PRCA Injury Study. McKinney: Mobile Sports Medicine Systems, Inc.; 2006.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Butterwick DJ, Hagel BE, Nelson DS, et al.: Epidemiological analysis of injury in five years of Canadian professional rodeo. Am J Sports Med 2002, 30:193–198.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Meyers MC, Sterling JC, Souryal TO: Radiographic findings of the upper extremity in collegiate rodeo athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2003, 35:543–547.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Bull riding-related brain and spinal cord injuries—Louisiana, 1994–1995. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 1996, 45:796–798.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Schmidt A, Brandenburg MA: Central nervous system injuries associated with bull riding, Oklahoma, 1992–1995. In Injury update, Oklahoma State Department of Health. Oklahoma City: Injury Prevention Service of Oklahoma State Department of Health; 1997:1–5.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Griffin R, Peterson KD, Halseth JR, Reynolds B: Injuries in professional rodeo: an update. Phys Sportsmed 1987, 15:104–115.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Tripp HF, Robicsek F: Aortic transaction secondary to rodeo injury. Mil Med 1995, 160:422–423.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Yetman AT, McDonnell WM, Pye S, et al.: Ventricular septal rupture in an amateur rodeo rider. J Trauma 2004, 56:697–699.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Griffin R, Peterson KD, Halseth JR: Injuries in professional rodeo. Phys Sportsmed 1983, 11:110–116.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Brandenburg MA, Archer P: Survey analysis to assess the effectiveness of the bull tough helmet in preventing head injuries in bull riders: a pilot study. Clin J Sport Med 2002, 12:360–366.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Bond GR, Christoph RA, Rodgers BM: Pediatric equestrian injuries: assessing the impact of helmet use. Pediatrics 1995, 95:487–489.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Moneim MS, Firoozbakhsh K, Gross D, et al.: Thumb amputations from team roping. Am J Sports Med 2003, 31:728–735.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Kirwan LA, Scott FA: Roping injuries in the hand: mechanism of injury and functional results. Plast Reconstr Surg 1988, 81:54–61.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Isenberg JS: Rodeo thumb: an unusual etiology of avulsion amputation of the thumb. Ann Plast Surg 1996, 37:187–190.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Nebergall R: Rodeo. In Epidemiology of Sports Injuries. Edited by Caine DT, Caine CG, Lindner KJ, eds. Champaign: Human Kinetics; 1996:350–356.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pioneer Medical Specialists, 30 Highway 91 South, Dillon, MT, 59725, USA

    Daniel J. Downey

Authors
  1. Daniel J. Downey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel J. Downey.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Downey, D.J. Rodeo injuries and prevention. Curr Sports Med Rep 6, 328–332 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11932-007-0071-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11932-007-0071-2

Search

Navigation