UCalgary researchers tackle rodeo participant safety in groundbreaking study on brain mechanisms pre- and post-event

Most people head to the rodeo for the thrill of watching the fearless athletes compete, but this year University of Calgary master’s student Raelyn Javra is rodeo-bound in pursuit of science and improving athlete safety. 

Javra, along with her student colleagues Elizabeth Fletcher, Matt Neill, Nathan Johnson and Josh Burkart, are all trainees in the lab of Dr. Jonathan Smirl, PhD, a scientist and associate professor in UCalgary’s Faculty of Kinesiology. Together, they set up a mobile physiology lab for an observational study of rodeo athletes at a rodeo event leading up to the Calgary Stampede, the Cody Snyder Bullbustin' competition. 

Using several imaging devices, such as a transcranial doppler ultrasound (TCD), electroencephalography (EEG) and neuro-infrared spectroscopy, the team measured brain function, blood flow regulation and oxygenation in bull riders, bull fighters, saddle bronc and bareback riders before and after each ride. 

“Measuring these cerebral mechanisms pre- and post-event allows us to the see the immediate changes in the regulatory systems of the brain after a ride,” says Javra. “Our goal is to determine possible interventions to make the sport safer without impacting its integrity.” 

Studies have shown that moderate to intense aerobic exercise helps restore brain function. So, although this study is in its infancy, Javra theorizes there may be ways for rodeo athletes with minor brain injuries, like concussions, to speed up and strengthen their recovery by incorporating additions, such as aerobic exercise, into their training. 

Smirl, whose lab focuses on the impacts of cerebrovascular function, autonomic control, sleep and exercise on concussion recovery, is excited about the study, saying it’s quite unique. 

“This was one of the first physiological data sets collected in rodeo athletes anywhere in the world and it was exciting,” he says. “These athletes are understudied and can be prone to injury. Finding ways we can help them to either prevent injuries or improve their recovery is extremely important.”

It’s estimated that concussions account for approximately eight to 15 per cent of all rodeo injuries. Symptoms include headaches and trouble with concentration, memory, balance and sleep. Repeated concussions can result in longer-term impairments like cognitive difficulties, headaches and fatigue. 

Javra’s master’s research project looks at using a novel physiologically informed exercise intervention to improve concussion recovery in people with persistent symptoms. But having spent her childhood summers on her family’s Manitoba farm, she has befriended many in the rodeo community and developed a passion for helping these athletes.

 Her goal is to prevent chronic injury and suffering following retirement.  

“I love concussion research and rehabilitation, and I love rodeo. This project is a cool way of connecting the two,” she says. “The idea is to help the athletes without changing the sport.”