Injury risks associated with tackling in rugby union

An investigation of shoulder forces in active shoulder tackles in rugby union football

In rugby union football the tackle is the most frequently executed skill and one most associated with injury, including shoulder injury to the tackler. Despite the importance of the tackle, little is known about the magnitude of shoulder forces in the tackle and influencing factors. The objectives of the study were to measure the shoulder force in the tackle, as well as the effects of shoulder padding, skill level, side of body, player size, and experimental setting on shoulder force. Experiments were conducted in laboratory and field settings using a repeated measures design. Thirty-five participants were recruited to the laboratory and 98 to the field setting. All were male aged over 18 years with rugby experience. The maximum force applied to the shoulder in an active shoulder tackle was measured with a custom built forceplate incorporated into a 45 kg tackle bag. The overall average maximum shoulder force was 1660 N in the laboratory and 1997 N in the field. This difference was significant. The shoulder force for tackling without shoulder pads was 1684 N compared to 1635 N with shoulder pads. There was no difference between the shoulder forces on the dominant and non-dominant sides. Shoulder force reduced with tackle repetition. No relationship was observed between player skill level and size. A substantial force can be applied to the shoulder and to an opponent in the tackle. This force is within the shoulder's injury tolerance range and is unaffected by shoulder pads.

Variation in physical development in schoolboy rugby players: can maturity testing reduce mismatch?

OBJECTIVES

This study set out to pursue means of reducing mismatch in schoolboy rugby players. The primary objective was to determine whether application of previously reported thresholds of height and grip strength could be used to distinguish those 15-year-old boys appropriate to play under-18 school rugby from their peers. A secondary objective was to obtain normative data for height, weight and grip strength and to assess the variation within that data of current schoolboy rugby players.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional cohort study.

SETTING

3 Scottish schools and 'Regional Assessment Centres' organised by the Scottish Rugby Union.

PARTICIPANTS

472 rugby playing youths aged 15 years (Regional Assessment Centres) and 382 schoolboys aged between 12 and 18 years (three schools).

OUTCOME MEASURES

Height, weight and grip strength.

RESULTS

97% of 15-year-olds achieved the height and grip strength thresholds based on previous reported values. Larger mean values and wide variation of height, weight and grip strength were recorded in the schoolboy cohort. However, using the mean values of the cohort of 17-year-olds as a new threshold, only 7.7% of 15-year-olds would pass these thresholds.

CONCLUSIONS

Large morphological variation was observed in schoolboy rugby players of the same age. Physical maturity tests described in earlier literature as pre-participation screening for contact sports were not applicable to current day 15-year-old rugby players. New criteria were measured and found to be better at identifying those 15-year-old players who had sufficient physical development to play senior school rugby.

Physical game demands in elite rugby union: a global positioning system analysis and possible implications for rehabilitation

STUDY DESIGN

Descriptive.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the physical demands of an international Rugby Union-level game using a global positioning system (GPS).

BACKGROUND

Elite Rugby Union teams currently employ the latest technology to monitor and evaluate physical demands of training and games on their players.

METHODS

GPS data from 2 players, a back and a forward, were collected during an international Rugby Union game. Locomotion speed, total body load, and body load sustained in tackles and scrums were analyzed.

RESULTS

Players completed an average distance of 6715 m and spent the major portion of the game standing or walking, interspersed with medium- and high-intensity running activities. The back performed a higher number of high-intensity sprints and reached a greater maximal speed. Body load data revealed that high levels of gravitational force are sustained in tackling and scrum tasks.

CONCLUSION

The current study provides a detailed GPS analysis of the physical demands of international Rugby Union players. These data, when combined with game video footage, may assist sports medicine professionals in understanding the demands of the game and mechanism of injury, as well as improving injury rehabilitation.

Incidence, severity, aetiology and type of neck injury in men's amateur rugby union: a prospective cohort study

Background

There is a paucity of epidemiological data on neck injury in amateur rugby union populations. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence, severity, aetiology and type of neck injury in Australian men's amateur rugby union.

Methods

Data was collected from a cohort of 262 participants from two Australian amateur men's rugby union clubs via a prospective cohort study design. A modified version of the Rugby Union Injury Report Form for Games and Training was used by the clubs physiotherapist or chiropractor in data collection.

Results

The participants sustained 90 (eight recurrent) neck injuries. Exposure time was calculated at 31143.8 hours of play (12863.8 hours of match time and 18280 hours of training). Incidence of neck injury was 2.9 injuries/1000 player-hours (95%CI: 2.3, 3.6). As a consequence 69.3% neck injuries were minor, 17% mild, 6.8% moderate and 6.8% severe. Neck compression was the most frequent aetiology and was weakly associated with severity. Cervical facet injury was the most frequent neck injury type.

Conclusions

This is the first prospective cohort study in an amateur men's rugby union population since the inception of professionalism that presents injury rate, severity, aetiology and injury type data for neck injury. Current epidemiological data should be sought when evaluating the risks associated with rugby union football.

Rugby union injuries in Scottish schools

BACKGROUND

Rugby union is the most popular worldwide collision sport, yet concerns have been raised regarding the safety of the sport due to the physical, high impact nature and an increasing number of injuries.

METHODS

A prospective, cohort study of the incidence, pattern and severity of injuries in rugby players in six Scottish schools during the second half of the 2008-09 season. Definition of injury and severity of injury were taken from International Rugby Board (IRB) consensus guidelines. Injury report forms and exposure data for match play were completed by a nominated staff member.

RESULTS

Four hundred and seventy consent forms with survey information were returned. Of 37 rugby injuries in the study, 11 occurred during training. Head and face were the most injured body part and sprain/ligament injury the most common injury. Twenty injuries required attendance at Accident & Emergency with one admission. The tackle was the commonest phase of play causing injury. In the 193 matches played, the injury incidence during the match play was 10.8 injuries per 1000 player hours.

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirms the feasibility of collecting relevant injury data in schools rugby in Scotland. The findings are consistent with other studies with respect to incidence and profile of injuries sustained.

Massive colonic haematoma following blunt trauma sustained playing rugby

A case is presented of a 24-year-old man who sustained a forceful blow to the right side of the abdomen during a tackle while playing rugby union. The patient was thought to be "winded" and could not play on. He sought medical attention several hours later at the local hospital where initial evaluation revealed mild right iliac fossa tenderness with no signs of peritonism and clinical parameters showed haemodynamic stability. Subsequent ultrasound and CT evaluation revealed a large haematoma involving the caecum and ascending colon. Emergency right haemicolectomy with primary anastomosis was performed to remove the large haematoma within the intact colonic wall. He was observed in the high dependency unit and was discharged after 7 days following an uneventful postoperative course. He continues to make significant progress some 3 months later and a full return to contact sport is being proposed within 9-12 months.