The influence of an artificial playing surface on injury risk and perceptions of muscle soreness in elite Rugby Union

Influence of playing surface on match injury risk in men's professional rugby union in England (2013-2019)

The use of artificial playing surfaces in professional rugby union is growing, but their effect on the injury risk profile remains unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of playing surface on match injury risk in men's professional rugby in England. Six seasons of injury data (2013/14-2018/19) were collected from 15 professional English, men's rugby teams participating in domestic and European competition. The incidence, severity, and burden of match injuries were compared across playing surfaces. The dataset included 3351 injuries from a combined European and domestic data set (separated in to 2 categories; artificial and natural/hybrid surfaces) and 2675 injuries from a domestic only dataset (separated into 3 categories; artificial, hybrid, and natural surfaces). There were no differences in incidence rates between surface types on combined European and domestic match data, but injury burden was significantly greater on artificial (3082 days/1000 h, 95% CI 2847-3337) in comparison with natural/hybrid surfaces (2364 days/1000 h, 95% CI 2277-2454, p < 0.001). These differences were primarily driven by a significantly greater mean severity of hip/groin, and foot/toe injuries on artificial surfaces. This is the largest study to date to examine the relationship between surface type and injury risk in rugby union. The average severity and burden of injuries sustained on artificial surfaces was significantly greater compared with those sustained on hybrid/natural grass surfaces. This study can inform those involved in selection of surface for elite sport, weighing up the positive and negative elements of the varying surface types.

Synthetic playing surfaces increase the incidence of match injuries in an elite Rugby Union team

OBJECTIVES

To examine differences in match injury incidence between three playing surfaces in elite Rugby Union.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort.

METHODS

Match injury incidence was assessed in 89 elite Rugby Union players over two-seasons of professional competition (44 matches, 1014 h player exposure). Match injury incidence was assessed on three different playing surfaces; natural grass, hybrid (natural grass combined with approximately 3% synthetic fibres) and fully synthetic (sand and rubber infill). Overall injury incidence, contact and non-contact injury incidence, and the incidence of minor (≤7 d lost) and major (≥8 d lost) injuries were considered using mixed effect models.

RESULTS

Overall match injury incidence doubled on hybrid and synthetic surfaces compared to natural grass (hybrid: OR = 2.58 [95% CI 1.65-4.03], p < 0.001; synthetic: OR = 2.16 [95% CI 1.07-4.37], p = 0.033). Furthermore, the odds of sustaining a contact injury on a pitch containing any synthetic content also increased compared to natural grass (hybrid: OR = 2.31 [95% CI 1.41-3.78], p = 0.001; synthetic: OR = 2.19 [95% CI 1.00-4.77], p = 0.049). The hybrid surface elicited a four times greater likelihood of non-contact injury incidence compared to natural grass (OR = 4.18 [95% CI 1.16-15.04], p = 0.028). However, the playing surface did not affect the severity of match injuries (all p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The present study suggests that even a small percentage (3%) of synthetic content in the playing surface significantly increases match injury incidence, with an effect seen on both contact and non-contact injury incidence. These findings are important to enable practitioners to be aware of the injury implications of playing matches on hybrid and synthetic pitches.

Athletic Play Surfaces and Injury Risk

ABSTRACT

Advancements in technology and the economic desires to maximize use of athletic playing surfaces have led to the development of various playing surfaces across the spectrum of sports. Each of these surfaces possesses specific safety profiles which are sport and population specific. Despite the growing medical literature on outdoor playing surfaces, inconsistent data exist on both orthopedic injuries and general medical concerns, such as surface component exposure toxicity and infection risk. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of data regarding various indoor playing surfaces and their effects on injury risk; this is an area ripe for further medical investigation. Understanding the differences in various play surfaces and their associated injury and health concerns is crucial for all medical staff providing care to athletes across the spectrum of skill and competition.

"Road to Rio": A Case Study of Workload Periodization Strategy in Rugby-7s During an Olympic Season

The objective of this manuscript was to examine the periodization strategy of an international Rugby-7s team during an Olympic season. Training load data were collected in 14 elite male players over a 48-week period during the 2015–2016 Olympic season. The season consisted of 3 macrocycles including: preseason (12-weak duration), in-season (25-weak) fragmented into four 4–7 weeks mesocycles (In-1–4) and the final preparation for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Olympic preparation, 11-weak). External training load (TL) such as the total distance (TD), the high-intensity distance (HID) and the number of accelerations performed, was monitored in training and competition over the entire duration of the season using a global positioning system (GPS) devices. The rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was multiplied by the session duration (min) to provide an internal TL (session-RPE) value for all training sessions and competitions. The Olympic preparation may enable planning of higher external TL compared to the preseason (TD, 21 ± 13%, moderate; total accelerations, 27 ± 4%, moderate) whereas no difference was observed for internal TL values between these two periods. High-intensity distance (HID) and internal TL (session-RPE) were lower (−11.0 ± 7.8%, small and −38 ± 3%, moderate, respectively) during the in-season compared to preseason. Internal TL, TD as well as HID were lower in the third in-season mesocycle (In-3) compared with the first in-season mesocycle (In-1) (−25 ± 12%, moderate; −32 ± 4%, moderate; −49 ± 8%, moderate, respectively). The staff managed the workload considering the in-season as the main part of the “Road to Rio.” The strategy to reduce the workload at the middle of the season and to induce weeks of regeneration at the end of the in-season was highlighted by the training availability of 100% of the squad at the beginning of the Olympic preparation. The workload periodization strategy of an Olympic season differs from the strategy previously described during a non-Olympic season.

Lay of the land: narrative synthesis of tackle research in rugby union and rugby sevens

Objectives

The purpose of this review was to synthesise both injury prevention and performance tackle-related research to provide rugby stakeholders with information on tackle injury epidemiology, including tackle injury risk factors and performance determinants, and to discuss potential preventative measures.

Design

Systematic review and narrative synthesis.

Data sources

PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science.

Eligibility criteria

Limited to peer-reviewed English-only publications between January 1995 and October 2018.

Results

A total of 317 studies were identified, with 177 in rugby union and 13 were in rugby sevens. The tackle accounted for more than 50% of all injuries in rugby union and rugby sevens, both at the professional level and at the lower levels, with the rate of tackle injuries higher at the professional level (mean 32/1000 player-hours) compared with the lower levels (mean 17/1000 player-hours). A player’s tackle actions and technical ability were identified as major risk factors for injury and a key determinant of performance.

Summary/conclusion

Evidence-based education, progressive tackle technique training with a high potential to transfer and law changes have been proposed as key modifiers of player tackle actions and technical ability. Conceivably, all three modifiers working in unison (as opposed to separately) will have a higher potential at reducing tackle injury risk while enhancing performance. With the guidance of tackle injury and performance studies, as well as stakeholder engagement, experiential and explorative tackle research has the potential to inspire innovative injury prevention and performance strategies.

Artificial-turf surfaces for sport and recreational activities: microbiota analysis and 16S sequencing signature of synthetic vs natural soccer fields

Synthetic fibres are used in place of the natural grass worldwide, for realizing playgrounds, soccer fields and even domestic gardens or recreational structures. An intensive use of artificial turf is currently observed in sports facilities, due to lower costs, higher sustainability in recycling of materials, and advantages related to athletic practice and performance. However, even if chemical and physical risks were studied, the microbiological component was not fully addressed, especially considering a comprehensive evaluation of the microbiota in synthetic vs natural playground surfaces. Here, we investigated the microbial community present on soccer fields, using Next Generation Sequencing and a 16S amplicon sequencing approach. Artificial and natural turfs show own ecosystems with different microbial profiles and a mean Shannon's diversity value of 2.176 and 2.475, respectively. The bacterial community is significantly different between facilities (ANOSIM: R = 0.179; p < 0.001) and surface materials (ANOSIM: R = 0.172; p < 0.005). The relative abundance of potentially pathogenic bacterial OTUs was higher in synthetic than in natural samples (ANOVA, F = 2.2). Soccer fields are characterized by their own microbiota, showing a different 16S amplicon sequencing signature between natural and artificial turfs.

Influence of the structural components of artificial turf systems on impact attenuation in amateur football players

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the influence of the structural components of different 3rd generation artificial turf football field systems on the biomechanical response of impact attenuation in amateur football players. A total of 12 amateur football players (24.3 ± 3.7 years, 73.5 ± 5.5 kg, 178.3 ± 4.1 cm and 13.7 ± 4.3 years of sport experience) were evaluated on three third generation artificial turf systems (ATS) with different structural components. ATS were composed of asphalt sub-base and 45 mm of fibre height with (ATS1) and without (ATS2) elastic layer or compacted granular sub-base, 60 mm of fibre height without elastic layer (ATS3). Two triaxial accelerometers were firmly taped to the forehead and the distal end of the right tibia of each individual. The results reveal a higher force reduction on ATS3 in comparison to ATS1 (+6.24%, CI95%: 1.67 to 10.92, ES: 1.07; p < 0.05) and ATS2 (+21.08%, CI95%: 16.51 to 25.66, ES: 2.98; p < 0.05) elastic layer. Tibia acceleration rate was lower on ATS3 than ATS1 (-0.32, CI95%: -0.60 to -0.03, ES: 4.23; p < 0.05) and ATS2 (-0.35, CI95%: -0.64 to -0.06; ES: 4.69; p < 0.05) at 3.3 m/s. A very large correlation (r = 0.7 to 0.9; p < 0.05) was found between energy restitution and fibre height in both head and tibial peak acceleration and stride time. In conclusion, structural components (fibre height, infill, sub-base and elastic layer) determine the mechanical properties of artificial turf fields. A higher force reduction and lower energy restitution diminished the impact received by the player which could protect against injuries associated with impacts compared to harder artificial turf surfaces.

A Comparison of GPS Workload Demands in Match Play and Small-Sided Games by the Positional Role in Youth Soccer

The external demands of small-sided games (SSGs) according to the positional role are currently unknown. Using a Catapult Minimax X3 5 Hz GPS, with a 100 Hz tri-axial accelerometer, we compared the accumulated tri-axial player workload per min (PLacc·min-1) during friendly youth match play (MP) (11 vs. 11) and SSGs (2 vs. 2, 3 vs. 3, and 4 vs. 4). Significant differences existed between all SSGs and MP for PLacc·min-1 (F = 21.91, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.38), and individual X (F = 27.40, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.43), Y (F = 14.50, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.29) and Z (F = 19.28, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.35) axis loads. Across all conditions, mean PLacc·min-1 was greater for midfielders (p = 0.004, CI: 0.68, 4.56) and forwards (p = 0.037, CI: 0.08, 3.97) than central defenders. In all conditions, greater Y axis values existed for wide defenders (p = 0.024, CI: 0.67, 1.38), midfielders (p = 0.006, CI: 0.18, 1.50) and forwards (p = 0.007, CI: 0.17, 0.15) compared to central defenders. Midfielders reported greater Z axis values compared to central defenders (p = 0.002, CI: 0.40, 2.23). We concluded that SSGs elicited greater external loads than MP, and previous studies may have underestimated the demands of SSGs.

The influence of playing surface on injury risk in italian elite rugby players

BACKGROUND

There is a growing interest in the use of artificial turf surfaces in rugby. In particular, artificial surfaces may be an useful means of increasing participation in the sport by allowing greater usage of a given pitch, especially in regions where natural turf pitches are difficult to maintain.

METHODS

The incidence of site, nature, cause, and severity of training and match injuries was prospectively recorded in two professional teams (one equipped with World Rugby certified third generation artificial turf and the other with natural grass over the 2014-2015 season).

RESULTS

A total of 23,840 minutes of exposure was displayed for the whole sample, 1,440 minutes during matches and 22,400 during training sessions. We recorded 37 (48%) traumatic injuries and 39 (52%) overuse injuries. For traumatic injuries, we did not find significant differences in the overall risk injury between grass and artificial turf considering match exposure and training sessions. For overuse injuries, there were significant differences in the overall risk injury between grass and artificial turf considering match exposure (p=0.03) and training sessions (p=0.02).

CONCLUSION

In elite Italian rugby players, artificial turf seems to be safe in regards to traumatic injury while it seems to be a risk factor for overuse injuries.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

II.

A kinematic analysis of the spine during rugby scrummaging on natural and synthetic turfs

Artificial surfaces are now an established alternative to grass (natural) surfaces in rugby union. Little is known, however, about their potential to reduce injury. This study characterises the spinal kinematics of rugby union hookers during scrummaging on third-generation synthetic (3G) and natural pitches. The spine was sectioned into five segments, with inertial sensors providing three-dimensional kinematic data sampled at 40 Hz/sensor. Twenty-two adult, male community club and university-level hookers were recruited. An equal number were analysed whilst scrummaging on natural or synthetic turf. Players scrummaging on synthetic turf demonstrated less angular velocity in the lower thoracic spine for right and left lateral bending and right rotation. The general reduction in the range of motion and velocities, extrapolated over a prolonged playing career, may mean that the synthetic turf could result in fewer degenerative injuries. It should be noted, however, that this conclusion considers only the scrummaging scenario.