|
Survey Analysis to Assess the
Effectiveness of the Bull Tough Helmet in Preventing Head Injuries in Bull
Riders: A Pilot Study
Read Full
Report
Mark
A. Brandenburg, MD, FAAEM; Pam Archer, MPH
Objective:
The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the effectiveness of the Bull
Tough helmet (Bull Tough,
Seguin, TX) in
preventing head injuries to bull riders. The hypothesis was that this helmet
is effective in diminishing the incidence of head injuries in bull riders.
Design:
This study was a retrospective study.
Methods:
Surveys were mailed to 320 purchasers of the Bull Tough helmet. Participants
were asked to recall the numbers of rides performed in 1999 while wearing
the helmet and the number of rides performed in 1999 while not wearing the
helmet. In addition, they were asked to provide the number and severity of
head injuries suffered in 1999 both while wearing the helmet and while not
wearing the helmet.
Setting:
Participants responding to the survey were bull riders from the United
States and Canada.
Participants:
Eighty-one riders responded to the survey.
Main Outcome Measurements:
The primary outcome measurements were planned before data collection began
and included the incidence of head injuries to bull riders both while
wearing the helmet and while not wearing the helmet.
Results:
While not wearing a helmet, the incidence of head injury was 1.54% per ride
(11 head injuries/713 rides). While wearing the helmet, the incidence of
head injury was 0.80% per ride (28 head injuries/3,518 rides). Using the X2
test, the p value was 0.0570.
Conclusions:
This study supports the hypothesis that the Bull Tough helmet diminishes the
incidence of head injury in bull riders.
*Trauma Emergency Center, St. Francis Hospital, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA; and
†Assistant Director, Injury Prevention Service, Oklahoma State Department of
Health, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
Received November 2001; accepted August 2002.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Mark A.
Brandenburg, MD, FAAEM, Trauma Emergency Center, St. Francis Hospital, 6161
S. Yale, Tulsa, OK 74136, USA. E-mail: MBrand2435@aol.com
Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine 2002; 12(6):360-366
Copyright © 2002 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
All rights reserved
Read More about Mechanisms of Injury |
