Rounding up rodeo injuries to keep cowboys safe

By Don McSwiney

Every other sport has one, except for the sport that may need it the most. This summer, University of Calgary sports epidemiologist Dale Butterwick—a leader in the field of rodeo injury study and treatment—is opening a registry for catastrophic injuries in pro rodeo to get a better idea of how frequently cowboys around the world are seriously hurt.

“By catastrophic we mean life-changing, losing a major organ, paralysis, even death,” says Butterwick. “We need to know how these injuries occur, and how often, before we can meaningfully look for interventions.”

Once a catastrophic injury has occurred, Butterwick and a team of epidemiologists from the Cowboy’s Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) and the U of C’s Faculty of Kinesiology will investigate the report to fully understand how the injury occurred and what might be done to prevent it in the future. Butterwick hopes this information will lead to increased safety for rodeo athletes and that the data will enhance support for research into rodeo injury prevention.

“How much is the death of one 20-year-old cowboy worth? What’s the cost to society? What about to his family? What’s the cost to the health-care system for a cowboy crushed by a bull in competition who is paralyzed for the rest of his life?” Butterwick asks. “Until you know the extent of the problem, you can’t effectively find solutions.”

Butterwick’s registry is retroactive, meaning that people can enter information about previous catastrophic injury. He hopes to use this information to support the creation of an international centre for rodeo research excellence. The centre would pull together education of cowboys, health-care professionals and clinicians to service cowboys competing in athletic events and conduct research to make the sport of rodeo safer.

The rodeo catastrophic injury registry can be found at: www.sportmed.ucalgary.ca/rodeo.