Match injury incidence during the Super Rugby tournament is high: a prospective cohort study over five seasons involving 93 641 player-hours

ObjectivesTo determine the incidence and nature of injuries in the Super Rugby tournament over a 5-year period.Methods482 male professional rugby union players from six South African teams participating in the Super Rugby tournament were studied (1020 player-seasons). Medical staff of participating teams (2012–2016 tournaments) recorded all time loss injuries (total injuries and match injuries) and exposure hours (93 641 total playing hours; 8032 match hours). Injury incidence, injured player proportion, severity (time lost), anatomical location, tissue type and activity/phase during which injury occurred are reported.ResultsThe overall incidence of match injuries (per 1000 player-hours; 95% CI) for each year was as follows: 2012 (83.3; 69.4–99.2); 2013 (115.1; 98.7–133.5); 2014 (95.9; 80.8–113.1), 2015 (112.3; 96.6–129.9) and 2016 (93.2; 79.9–107.9). The injured player proportion for each year was as follows: 2012 (54.6%); 2013 (49.4%); 2014 (52.0%); 2015 (50.0%); and 2016 (39.8%). The thigh, knee, head/face and shoulder/clavicle are the most frequently injured locations, and muscle/tendon and joint/ligament injuries account for the majority of injuries. Most injuries (79%) occur in contact situations, in particular during a tackle (54%).ConclusionThe incidence of match injuries and the injured player proportion in South African teams competing in the Super Rugby tournament is high. Match injury incidence is consistently higher than previously reported for senior male rugby players at elite/professional level. Targeted risk management strategies are therefore needed in the Super Rugby tournament to manage risk of injury.

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Epidemiology of Shoulder Injuries in Schoolboy Rugby Union in Ireland

Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1177/23259671211023431 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. 232596712110234

Author(s):

Therese M. Leahy ◽

Ian C. Kenny ◽

Mark J. Campbell ◽

Giles D. Warrington ◽

Roisin Cahalan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Incidence Rates ◽

Rugby Union ◽

Injury Incidence ◽

Shoulder Injuries ◽

Descriptive Epidemiology ◽

Epidemiology Study ◽

Time Loss ◽

Potential Risk Factors ◽

Rugby Players ◽

And Training

Background: The shoulder has been reported as a frequent location of injury in adult professional and amateur rugby, with match injury incidence rates ranging from 1.8 to 3 per 1000 player-hours (h). An increased understanding of the incidence and mechanism of shoulder injuries in school rugby players is vital to establish effective injury preventive strategies and advise on appropriate rehabilitation. Purpose: To describe the incidence, nature, and severity of shoulder injuries in schoolboy rugby in Ireland. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Injury surveillance was carried out for Senior Cup teams across two seasons (N = 665 players aged 17-19 years) in Ireland from 2018 to 2020. Match and training injury data were recorded using an online system by trained nominated injury recorders. Match exposure was also recorded. Results: Shoulder match injury incidence was 12.2 per 1000 h (95% CI, 9.1-16.2), with a mean severity of 47 days’ time loss and an overall burden of 573 days per 1000 h. In total, 47 match and 5 training shoulder injuries were recorded. The most common injuries were shoulder dislocations/subluxations (34%), followed by acromioclavicular joint sprains (30%). Shoulder dislocations/subluxations represented the most burdensome injury (280 days per 1000 h). The tackle accounted for the majority (81%) of shoulder injuries. Forwards sustained a significantly higher incidence of shoulder injuries (8.3/1000 h) in comparison with backs (3.9/1000 h), with a rate ratio of 2.13 (95% CI, 1.15-3.94; P = .015). Conclusion: We found a notably higher injury incidence rate in schoolboy rugby as compared with the adult amateur and professional game. Shoulder injuries were responsible for more days lost than any other injury, and shoulder dislocations were the most severe. This is of particular concern so early in a player’s career and warrants further investigation into potential risk factors and mechanisms associated with shoulder injuries in school-age players.

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Epidemiology of Time-Loss Injuries in Senior and Under-18 Portuguese Male Rugby Players

Journal of Human Kinetics ◽

10.1515/hukin-2017-0159 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 62 (1) ◽

pp. 73-80 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Antonio Miguel Cruz-Ferreira ◽

Eduardo Miguel Cruz-Ferreira ◽

Pedro Barbosa Ribeiro ◽

Luiz Miguel Santiago ◽

Luis Taborda-Barata

Keyword(s):

Team Sports ◽

Incidence Rates ◽

Rugby Union ◽

Injury Incidence ◽

Time Loss ◽

Limb Injuries ◽

Tier 1 ◽

Type Contact ◽

Position Type ◽

Rugby Players

Abstract Rugby union has one of the highest injury incidence rates in team sports, however, most of the available data focus on the epidemiology of injuries in countries where rugby is popular. We aimed to report the incidence rate and relevant epidemiological aspects of injuries occurred in a group of Portuguese male rugby players. A prospective cohort study was conducted with a group of 45 senior and 32 under-18 male players (total of 77 players). Outcome measures included injury incidence, position, type, location and severity of injuries. The match injury incidence for all players was 55.84 per 1000 player match-hours (66.66 for seniors, 42.85 for under-18), while mean time-loss for injury was 20.79 days. No statistical differences were found between groups. Lower limb injuries accounted for 60.5% of all injuries, while joint/ligament injuries were the most prevalent type. Contact events were responsible for 65.1% of injuries. Despite the limitations, the obtained data are consistent with the literature. Time-loss injuries seem highly prevalent in rugby union and the incidence rates found in this Portuguese-based study were lower than the reported for international and senior men’s professional rugby union, but higher than those occurring in community rugby in tier-1 countries. The authors believe these data reinforce the need to develop and implement effective injury surveillance and prevention programs.

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The effect of prophylactic knee bracing on proprioception performance in first division rugby union players

South African Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.17159/2078-516x/2004/v16i1a192 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. 33 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

TH Kruger ◽

MF Coetsee ◽

S Davies

Keyword(s):

South African ◽

Sports Medicine ◽

Dynamic Balance ◽

Rugby Union ◽

Knee Brace ◽

Balance Test ◽

Kwazulu Natal ◽

Test Order ◽

The University ◽

Rugby Players

Objective. To investigate the effects of prophylactic knee bracing on proprioceptive performance among first division rugby union players during a 2-minute Wilknox Quad Time Logger balancing task. Design. Each subject performed a 2-minute balancing task on the Wilknox Quad Time Logger. Test order, left or right leg, and the sequence of brace or non-brace, were randomised. Subjects were placed on the balancing board and instructed to balance for 2 minutes. Subjects performed 6 trials. Two days elapsed between testing. Each testing day involved 2 trials, 1 trial with and 1 without the prophylactic knee brace. Settings. Testing took place at the biokinetics laboratory of the University of Zululand. Subjects. Thirty playing (not injured) male rugby players, aged 22 - 30 years, participating in the KwaZulu-Natal club championships (2000). Outcome measure. Performance was measured in terms of time that balance was lost in a dynamic balance test. Peak proprioception was the best balancing performance recorded, and average proprioception the average balancing performance for all trials. Results. The findings showed an improvement of 17.9% in average proprioception times and 19.1% in peak proprioception times with the application of a prophylactic knee brace (p < 0.01). Conclusion. Prophylactic knee bracing improved proprioception performance of playing (uninjured) rugby players, and therefore may be responsible for the improvement in knee injury statistics reported in some studies on knee bracing. South African Journal of Sports Medicine Vol.16(1) 2004: 33-36

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Fitness and body composition profiling of elite junior South African rugby players

South African Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.17159/2413-3108/2006/v18i2a242 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 38 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

J Durandt ◽

S Du Toit ◽

J Borresen ◽

T Hew-Butler ◽

H Masimla ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Composition ◽

South African ◽

Body Fat ◽

Age Groups ◽

Rugby Union ◽

The Body ◽

Upper Body ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Sprinting Speed ◽

Rugby Players

Objective. The aim of this study was to describe the body composition, strength and speed characteristics of elite junior South African rugby players. Design. Cross-sectional. Setting. Field study. Subjects. Rugby players (16 and 18 years old, N = 174) selected for the South African Rugby Union National Green Squad. Outcome measures. Body composition, 10 m and 40 m speed, agility, 1RM bench press, underhand pull-ups, push-ups, multistage shuttle run. Results. The under-16 players were on average shorter (175.6 ± 5.7 v. 179.2 ± 6.7 cm), weighed less (76.5 ± 8.2 v. 84.8 ± 8.3 kg) had less upper body absolute strength (77.1 ± 11.8 kg v. 95.3 ± 16.7 kg) and muscular endurance (41 ± 12 v. 52 ± 15 push-ups) and aerobic fitness (87.1 ± 19.4 v. 93.5 ± 15.3 shuttles) than the under-18 players. There were no differences in body fat, sprinting speed (10 m and 40 m) or agility between the two age groups. There were differences between playing positions, with the props having the most body fat, strongest upper bodies, slowest sprinting speed, least agility and lowest aerobic capacity compared with players in the other positions. Conclusion. This study provides data for elite junior rugby players and can be used to monitor the progression of players after intervention while also assisting with talent identification for the different playing positions. South African Journal of Sports Medicine Vol. 18 (2) 2006: pp. 38-45

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Enduro World Series (EWS) Mountain Biking Injuries: A 2-year Prospective Study of 2010 Riders

International Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1055/a-1320-1116 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Debbie Palmer ◽

Geraint Florida-James ◽

Chris Ball

Keyword(s):

Prospective Study ◽

Mountain Biking ◽

Injury Incidence ◽

Prevention Strategies ◽

Time Loss ◽

World Series ◽

Risk Of Injury ◽

Exposure Data ◽

Clavicle Fractures ◽

International Cycling Union

AbstractThe sport of Enduro is the newest International Cycling Union sanctioned discipline in mountain biking. There are a number of studies reporting mountain biking injury to date however there are none detailing injuries in Enduro. The aim of the present study was to determine the rate, severity and nature of rider injury during the Enduro World Series. Rider injury, and race and practice exposure data were recorded prospectively during 10 events across the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Incorporating 2010 riders (males 90%; females 10%) from 46 countries. 8.9% of riders were injured with mean 12.3 days time-loss per injury. Racing injury incidence was 38.3/1000 hours and practice injury incidence 3.6/1000 hours (p=0.01). The shoulder/clavicle (12.8% of all injuries), hand (9.0%) and head (9.0%) were the most injured locations. Concussion injury was the most frequent diagnosis (7.4%), and shoulder/clavicle fractures caused the greatest burden (442 total days lost). Of those with concussion 28.6% continued racing, and 42.9% reported no time-loss (i. e. time off) post-race. In conclusion, the rate of injury during EWS race events was comparable to Downhill racing. Targeted injury prevention strategies around rider concussion education and rider qualification criteria may help to reduce the risk of injury in Enduro.

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The Influence of In-Season Training Loads on Injury Risk in Professional Rugby Union

International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance ◽

10.1123/ijspp.2015-0187 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 350-355 ◽

Cited By ~ 78

Author(s):

Matthew J. Cross ◽

Sean Williams ◽

Grant Trewartha ◽

Simon P.T. Kemp ◽

Keith A. Stokes

Keyword(s):

Generalized Estimating Equations ◽

Injury Risk ◽

Reference Group ◽

Harmful Effect ◽

Rugby Union ◽

Time Loss ◽

Risk Of Injury ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Reduction Strategies ◽

Risk Reduction Strategies

Purpose:To explore the association between in-season training-load (TL) measures and injury risk in professional rugby union players.Methods:This was a 1-season prospective cohort study of 173 professional rugby union players from 4 English Premiership teams. TL (duration × session-RPE) and time-loss injuries were recorded for all players for all pitch- and gym-based sessions. Generalized estimating equations were used to model the association between in-season TL measures and injury in the subsequent week.Results:Injury risk increased linearly with 1-wk loads and week-to-week changes in loads, with a 2-SD increase in these variables (1245 AU and 1069 AU, respectively) associated with odds ratios of 1.68 (95% CI 1.05–2.68) and 1.58 (95% CI 0.98–2.54). When compared with the reference group (<3684 AU), a significant nonlinear effect was evident for 4-wk cumulative loads, with a likely beneficial reduction in injury risk associated with intermediate loads of 5932–8651 AU (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.22–1.38) (this range equates to around 4 wk of average in-season TL) and a likely harmful effect evident for higher loads of >8651 AU (OR 1.39, 95% CI 0.98–1.98).Conclusions:Players had an increased risk of injury if they had high 1-wk cumulative loads (1245 AU) or large week-to-week changes in TL (1069 AU). In addition, a U-shaped relationship was observed for 4-wk cumulative loads, with an apparent increase in risk associated with higher loads (>8651 AU). These measures should therefore be monitored to inform injury-risk-reduction strategies.

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Players’ and coaches’ knowledge and awareness of the BokSmartSafe Sixinjury prevention programme: an ecological cross-sectional questionnaire study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2017-018575 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (11) ◽

pp. e018575 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Nicola Sewry ◽

Evert Verhagen ◽

Mike Lambert ◽

Willem van Mechelen ◽

James Brown

Keyword(s):

South African ◽

Behavioural Change ◽

Rugby Union ◽

Prevention Programme ◽

Questionnaire Study ◽

Injury Incidence ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Targeted Marketing ◽

Injury Prevention Programme ◽

Marketing Approach

ObjectivesRugby has a high injury incidence and therefore BokSmart introduced theSafe Sixinjury prevention programme in 2014 in an attempt to decrease this incidence. In 2015, BokSmart used a ‘targeted marketing approach’ to increase the awareness and knowledge of theSafe Six. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the change in the knowledge of coaches and players of theSafe Sixprogramme, compared with the launch year, following a ‘targeted marketing approach’.DesignEcological cross-sectional questionnaire studySettingThe 2014–2016 South African rugby union youth week tournaments.ParticipantsQuestionnaires were completed by 4502 players and coaches who attended any of the four youth week tournaments during 2014–2016.Outcome measuresLogistic regression (adjusted OR, 95% CI) was performed in comparison to year prior to targeted marketing, separately for coaches and players, for changes in awareness and knowledge.ResultsThe awareness of theSafe Sixincreased significantly for players in 2015 (1.74 times (95% CI 1.49 to 2.04)) and in 2016 (1.54 times (95% CI 1.29 to 1.84)). Similarly for coaches, there was a 3.55 times (95% CI 1.23 to 9.99) increase in 2015 and a 10.11 times (95% CI 2.43 to 42.08) increase in 2016 compared with 2014. Furthermore, a player was significantly more likely to be aware of theSafe Sixif his coach was aware of the programme (p<0.05).ConclusionsThe knowledge and awareness of the BokSmartSafe Sixof both players and coaches increased in 2015 and 2016 (compared with 2014) since the launch of the programme. Coaches, the Unions/the South African Rugby Union and social media were the largest contributors to knowledge in coaches and players. While the ‘targeted marketing approach’ was associated with an increase in awareness, future studies should determine if this translates into behavioural change.

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Playing time between senior rugby players of different ethnic groups across all levels of South African rugby, 2007- 2011

South African Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.17159/2078-516x/2012/v24i3a332 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 24 (3) ◽

pp. 81 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

J Du Toit ◽

J Durandt ◽

J Joshua ◽

H Masimla ◽

M Lambert

Keyword(s):

Ethnic Groups ◽

South African ◽

Rugby Union ◽

The South ◽

Playing Time ◽

Rugby Players ◽

Different Levels

Background. The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has had a continual challenge to make the game representative of players of all ethnic groups at all levels of play. In response to this challenge SARU has implemented several programmes designed to accelerate the development of players from previously disadvantaged areas with the goal of making the game more representative. However, the success of these programmes to transform the player profile at different levels of rugby cannot be evaluated because the players representing different ethnic groups have not been quantified in a systematic way.Objectives. To quantify the number and playing time of South African professional players (Vodacom, Currie Cup, Super Rugby and Springboks) from different ethnic groups from 2007 to 2011 to determine whether there are any changes in the profile of the players over this period.Methods. Playing time was recorded for all players in sanctioned matches. Players were divided into the ethnic classifications used by SARU (i.e. white, coloured and black).Results. At all levels of competition there were proportionally more white players, followed by coloured players and then black players. This pattern did not change from 2007 to 2011. Based on the ratio of number of players v. playing time, the white players played more time than expected at the Springbok level, whereas the black players played less than expected for the number of players from 2007 to 2011. At the Vodacom level the white players played more than expected in 2007 and 2008 and played less than expected in 2010 and 2011, whereas the black players played more than expected in 2010 and the coloured players played more than expected at the 2011 tournament. The Super Rugby tournamenthad the most consistency between players and expected playing time for the different ethnic groups.Conclusions. Despite the effort to support players from disadvantaged backgrounds since 1998 with facilitative programmes and selection targets, the professional game is still dominated by white players at all levels.

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Training volume and injury incidence in a professional rugby union team

South African Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.17159/2078-516x/2009/v21i3a295 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 21 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

W Viljoen ◽

CJ Saunders ◽

GD Hechter ◽

KD Aginsky ◽

HB Millson

Keyword(s):

Injury Risk ◽

Injury Rate ◽

Rugby Union ◽

Slight Reduction ◽

Injury Incidence ◽

Training Volume ◽

Injury Rates ◽

Acute Injuries ◽

Training Programmes ◽

Rugby Players

Objective. To describe the incidence of injuries in a professional rugby team, and to identify any associations between injury rates and training volume.Methods. This retrospective, descriptive study included all injuries diagnosed as grade 1 and above in a South African Super 12 rugby team. Injury incidence and injury rates were calculated and compared with training volume and hours of match play.Results. Thirty-eight male rugby players were injured during the study period. The total number of annual injuries decreased from 50 (2002) to 38 (2004) (χ2=0.84, p=0.36). The number of new injuries showed a similar trend (χ2=2.81, p=0.09), while the number of recurring injuries increased over the 3-year period. There was a tendency for total in-season injury rates to decrease over the 3 years (χ2=2.89, p=0.09). The pre-season injury rate increased significantly over the 3 years (χ2=12.7, pConclusions. One has to be cognisant of the balance between performance improvement and injury risk when designing training programmes for elite rugby players. Although the reduction in training volume was associated with a slight reduction in the number of acute injuries and in-season injury rates over the three seasons, the performance of the team changed from 3rd to 7th (2002 and 2004, respectively). Further studies are required to determine the optimal training necessary to improve rugby performancewhile reducing injury rates.

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