PROFESSIONRope 'em, ride 'em, mend 'em: When rodeo cowboys get hurt, volunteer physicians are there to helpHead and face injuries are the most common.By Damon Adams, amednews staff. May 10, 2004. R. Pepper Murray, MD, knows the ropes of rodeo. He competed in roping contests as a teenager and was on his college rodeo team until his horse bucked him, causing a knee injury that ended his shot at turning pro. These days, he watches the action from the other side of the fence -- as a physician to cowboys who risk life and limb for their sport. He is among the dedicated physicians who volunteer at rodeo arenas across the country, tending to injuries and other health needs of professional rodeo athletes. It's a relatively new calling for physicians. Back in the 1970s, "there was really no medical interest in rodeos. There was an ambulance at the rodeo back then, but that was it," said Dr. Murray, an orthopedic surgeon in Bountiful, Utah, north of Salt Lake City. That changed in the winter of 1980, when Dallas physician J. Pat Evans, MD, saw a need and began offering medical care to rodeo cowboys. "The doctors did not know anything about the rodeo. They said, 'If you broke your arm riding a bull, then don't ride a bull.' That didn't go over well," he said. In 1981, the Justin Boot Co. began sponsoring the medical program, with Dr. Evans and athletic trainer Don Andrews leading the effort. Now, more than two decades later, the Justin Sportsmedicine Team, which includes Dr. Murray, treats about 6,000 cases annually at more than 125 rodeos sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Assn. "They say, 'Yes, ma'am,' and 'Yes, sir.' They're very grateful to you," Dr. Murray said. [...]Full text of American Medical News content is available to AMA members and paid subscribers.
Copyright 2004 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
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