Let’s face it, rodeo is one of the most hardcore sports out there. It has a reputation for incurring bone-crushing injuries on its participants and riders, and also giving long-term riders bad back and neck problems. The most common injuries in rodeos occur to the knee and shoulder, but medical professionals have found that serious injuries are much less common when riders suit up in the appropriate protective gear prior to riding.

Riders are encouraged to wear protective head gear, in addition to a Donjoy BOA Back Brace if the back is already under significant stress. Protective vests have also been proven to prevent punctures to the rib and chest. While many riders have been open to wearing this type of gear underneath their clothing, the majority are still unwilling to trade in their “macho” image for better head protection in the form of a quality helmet.

The medical world has often expressed public concern for the safety of riders in rodeos. In the popular sports journal Current Sports Medicine Reports, Dr. Daniel J. Downey of Pioneer Medical Specialists in Dillon, Montana says that "Our hope is that the sport of rodeo will be made safer for the athlete through greater physician interaction with the rodeo organizations and athletes in the future." As scientists work to develop better protective gear for riders, the sport of rodeo can envision a future that is hopefully relatively injury-free.