Bethany Robinson, Evelyn Heigh-Rosen, Charlotte Bolch
Rodeo, a non-traditional sport, may pose a higher risk of injury compared to other sports due to the intense forces exerted by livestock. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of lower extremity injuries and discuss potential strategies for injury reduction among rodeo athletes. A systematic review with meta-analysis, following PRISMA guidelines, was performed. A comprehensive search of three electronic databases was conducted, searching for studies assessing the epidemiological trends of lower extremity injuries in rodeo athletes. Studies were included if they were published in English, reported injury frequencies by body part, involved collegiate or professional rodeo athletes, and covered more than one rodeo event type. Among the seven identified studies on rodeo injury prevalence, six focused on Canadian and American professional rodeo athletes, while one studied collegiate athletes. The order of injury prevalence of the lower extremity was found to be thigh/knee (TK) > ankle (A) > lower leg (LL) > foot/toes (FT) across all rodeo athletes. Timed event athletes exhibited a nine-percent higher prevalence of thigh/knee and ankle injuries compared to rough stock athletes. Lower extremity injuries accounted for approximately twenty-eight percent of injuries among collegiate and professional rodeo athletes.