Radiographic Study of Elbow Injuries in Professional Rodeo Cowboys

In brief: A radiographic study of 21 bull riders and 18 bareback riders was conducted to determine the bony changes that result over time from elbow injuries in professional cowboys. X-rays revealed 39 bony abnormalities in the bull riders and 37 in the bareback riders. More than 60% of these changes occurred in the medial epicondyle and the posterior aspect of the olecranon process. Surprisingly, 30 of the injuries affected the free arm rather than the gripping arm. The authors recommend that riders tape both elbows to prevent hyperextension and that they wear a pad for protection from an animal that falls or steps on them.