Examining Injury Trends in High School, Collegiate, and Professional Rodeo: A Systematic Review
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Artist Statement
Rodeo is an intense, fast paced sport with a high injury prevalence. It is separated into rough stock events (bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding) and timed events (steer wrestling, team roping, tie down roping, goat tying, barrel racing), with research suggesting bull riding is the most dangerous event on earth. The added component of livestock creates a large amount of unpredictability that can contribute to injury occurrence. Even with such a high prevalence for injury, rodeo is vastly under researched with most existing studies focused on injury epidemiology. Current research focuses on one level of competition and has not been synthesized to examine injury trends between various levels of competition. This systematic review was conducted to examine injury trends across all levels of rodeo competition to further the understanding of the sport. A database search was conducted using PubMed and SportDiscus through October 2018. A keyword search was completed using seven key words: rodeo injury, rodeo, rodeo injury epidemiology, bull riding injury, college rodeo, professional rodeo, and high school rodeo. Studies were selected based on inclusion of injury data at any level of competition. Studies were eliminated based on title irrelevance, no authors listed, no inclusion of injury data, and full text unavailability. The initial database search produced 1,109 articles. After applying exclusion criteria, 11 articles were selected for this systematic review. Variables examined were injury frequency and rate, anatomical location, injury type, and event occurrence. This systematic review was unique because it compiled data from multiple levels or rodeo competition. By combining data from high school, collegiate, and professional levels of competition, more comprehensive conclusions were drawn related to injuries in the sport of rodeo. The conclusions drawn can then be applied to clinical practice and help medical providers like athletic trainers, physical therapists, physicians, etc. be better prepared to treat athletes at all levels of rodeo competition. A few of the findings from the review include professional rodeo athletes are at higher risk of injury when compared to high school level of competition, with rough stock athletes being at higher risk compared to timed events. Rodeo athletes from all events are highly susceptible to extremity injuries that are conducive to implementation of injury prevention strategies. Future research is needed to explore injury prevention strategies and the most effective ways to integrate them into rodeo. In a sport like rodeo with such a high prevalence for injury, providing the highest quality care is of utmost importance to help keep athletes in competition. The information collected in this systematic review provides a clearer picture of injury in rodeo.
Mentor Name
Valerie Moody
Examining Injury Trends in High School, Collegiate, and Professional Rodeo: A Systematic Review
UC North Ballroom
Rodeo is an intense, fast paced sport with a high injury prevalence. It is separated into rough stock events (bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding) and timed events (steer wrestling, team roping, tie down roping, goat tying, barrel racing), with research suggesting bull riding is the most dangerous event on earth. The added component of livestock creates a large amount of unpredictability that can contribute to injury occurrence. Even with such a high prevalence for injury, rodeo is vastly under researched with most existing studies focused on injury epidemiology. Current research focuses on one level of competition and has not been synthesized to examine injury trends between various levels of competition. This systematic review was conducted to examine injury trends across all levels of rodeo competition to further the understanding of the sport. A database search was conducted using PubMed and SportDiscus through October 2018. A keyword search was completed using seven key words: rodeo injury, rodeo, rodeo injury epidemiology, bull riding injury, college rodeo, professional rodeo, and high school rodeo. Studies were selected based on inclusion of injury data at any level of competition. Studies were eliminated based on title irrelevance, no authors listed, no inclusion of injury data, and full text unavailability. The initial database search produced 1,109 articles. After applying exclusion criteria, 11 articles were selected for this systematic review. Variables examined were injury frequency and rate, anatomical location, injury type, and event occurrence. This systematic review was unique because it compiled data from multiple levels or rodeo competition. By combining data from high school, collegiate, and professional levels of competition, more comprehensive conclusions were drawn related to injuries in the sport of rodeo. The conclusions drawn can then be applied to clinical practice and help medical providers like athletic trainers, physical therapists, physicians, etc. be better prepared to treat athletes at all levels of rodeo competition. A few of the findings from the review include professional rodeo athletes are at higher risk of injury when compared to high school level of competition, with rough stock athletes being at higher risk compared to timed events. Rodeo athletes from all events are highly susceptible to extremity injuries that are conducive to implementation of injury prevention strategies. Future research is needed to explore injury prevention strategies and the most effective ways to integrate them into rodeo. In a sport like rodeo with such a high prevalence for injury, providing the highest quality care is of utmost importance to help keep athletes in competition. The information collected in this systematic review provides a clearer picture of injury in rodeo.