Epidemiology of Shoulder Injuries in Schoolboy Rugby Union in Ireland

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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High Incidence of Hand Injuries From Blocking in Elite Taekwondo Despite the Use of Protective Gear: A 5-Year Descriptive Epidemiology Study

Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1177/2325967120973996 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 232596712097399

Author(s):

Markus Geßlein ◽

Johannes Rüther ◽

Michael Millrose ◽

Hermann Josef Bail ◽

Robin Martin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Injury Risk ◽

Injury Incidence ◽

Dominant Hand ◽

Wrist Injuries ◽

Descriptive Epidemiology ◽

Epidemiology Study ◽

Time Loss ◽

Data Set ◽

Injury Site ◽

Protective Gear

Background: Hand and wrist injuries are a common but underestimated issue in taekwondo. Detailed data on injury risk, patterns, and mechanism are missing. Purpose: To evaluate (1) the fight time exposure-adjusted injury incidence rate (IIR) and clinical incidence and (2) injury site, type, sport-specific mechanism, and time loss in taekwondo. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Athletes from a single national Olympic taekwondo training center were investigated prospectively for hand and wrist injuries during training and competition over 5 years. The Orchard Sports Injury Classification System Version 10 was used to classify injury type, and analysis of the anatomic injury site was performed. The mechanism of injury was classified as due to either striking or blocking techniques. Results: From a total of 107 athletes, 79 athletes (73.8%) with a total exposure time of 8495 hours were included in the final data set. During the study period, 75 injuries of the hand and wrist region were recorded despite the athletes using protective hand gear. The IIR was 13.9 (95% CI, 10.5-17.5) and was significantly higher during competition. The clinical incidence as an indicator for risk of injury was 60.7% (95% CI, 50.9-70.5). Finger rays were the most affected location (68%), and fractures (43%) and joint ligament injuries (35%) were the most common type of injury. Significantly more injuries were found on the dominant hand side ( P < .001). Comparison of injury mechanisms demonstrated significantly more injuries at the finger rays deriving from blocking techniques ( P = .0104). The mean time loss for all hand and wrist injuries was 15.7 ± 13.5 days (range, 3-45 days) and was highest for distal radial fractures, with a mean of 39.7 ± 4.8 days (range, 32-45 days). Conclusion: There was a significantly higher IIR for acute hand and wrist injuries in elite taekwondo athletes during competition, which resulted in considerable time loss, especially when fractures or dislocations occurred. Significantly more injuries to the finger rays were found during blocking despite the use of protective hand gear. Improvement of tactical skills and blocking techniques during training and improved protective gear appear to be essential for injury prevention.

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

British Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1136/bjsports-2018-099105 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 53 (10) ◽

pp. 620-627 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Martin P Schwellnus ◽

Esme Jordaan ◽

Charl Janse van Rensburg ◽

Helen Bayne ◽

Wayne Derman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South African ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Rugby Union ◽

Tissue Type ◽

Anatomical Location ◽

Injury Incidence ◽

Time Loss ◽

Risk Of Injury ◽

Risk Management Strategies ◽

Rugby Players

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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Descriptive Epidemiology of Injuries in Professional Ultimate Frisbee Athletes

Journal of Athletic Training ◽

10.4085/1062-6050-269-18 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 55 (2) ◽

pp. 195-204 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Matthew C. Hess ◽

David I. Swedler ◽

Christine S. Collins ◽

Brent A. Ponce ◽

Eugene W. Brabston

Keyword(s):

Incidence Rate ◽

Epidemiologic Study ◽

Incidence Rates ◽

Thigh Muscle ◽

Surveillance Program ◽

Injury Incidence ◽

Descriptive Epidemiology ◽

Injury Rates ◽

Ultimate Frisbee ◽

Rate Ratios

Context Injuries in professional ultimate Frisbee (ultimate) athletes have never been described. Objective To determine injury rates, profiles, and associated factors using the first injury-surveillance program for professional ultimate. Design Descriptive epidemiology study. Setting American Ultimate Disc League professional ultimate teams during the 2017 season. Patients or Other Participants Sixteen all-male teams. Main Outcome Measure(s) Injury incidence rates (IRs) were calculated as injuries per 1000 athlete-exposures (AEs). Incidence rate ratios were determined to compare IRs with 95% confidence intervals, which were used to calculate differences. Results We observed 299 injuries over 8963 AEs for a total IR of 33.36 per 1000 AEs. Most injuries affected the lower extremity (72%). The most common injuries were thigh-muscle strains (12.7%) and ankle-ligament sprains (11.4%). Running was the most frequent injury mechanism (32%). Twenty-nine percent of injuries involved collisions; however, the concussion rate was low (IR = 0.22 per 1000 AEs). Injuries were more likely to occur during competition and in the second half of games. An artificial turf playing surface did not affect overall injury rates (Mantel-Haenszel incidence rate ratio = 1.28; 95% confidence interval = 0.99, 1.67). Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first epidemiologic study of professional ultimate injuries. Injury rates were comparable with those of similar collegiate- and professional-level sports.

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Impact of Workload on Time-Loss Incidence Rates in Elite Rugby Union Players.

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise ◽

10.1249/01.mss.0000563368.75996.00 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 51 (Supplement) ◽

pp. 956

Author(s):

Ben E.W. Cousins ◽

John G. Morris ◽

Caroline Sunderland ◽

Mary E. Nevill ◽

Anthony M. Bennett ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Incidence Rates ◽

Rugby Union ◽

Time Loss

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Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Shoulder Padding and Shoulder Injury in Rugby Union

10.1101/2020.05.15.20102905 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Angus Hughes ◽

Matt Carre ◽

Heather Driscoll

Keyword(s):

Injury Prevention ◽

Rugby Union ◽

Shoulder Injuries ◽

Shoulder Injury ◽

Perceptions And Attitudes ◽

Contusion Injury ◽

Rugby Players

Objective To develop an understanding of the role of shoulder padding in preventing injuries in rugby by investigating player perceptions and attitudes towards shoulder padding and extending previous research into the nature of shoulder injuries in rugby. Methods A survey was distributed to current rugby players over 13 years old. Questions related to the participants' demographic, attitudes to shoulder padding and shoulder injury history. Results 616 rugby players responded to the survey. 66.1% of respondents had worn shoulder padding at some point during their career. Youth players (13-17 years old) and the older demographic (36+ years old) perceived shoulder padding to be more effective. 37.1% of respondents considered shoulder padding to be effective at preventing cuts and abrasions with 21.9% finding it very effective. 50.3% considered it to be effective at preventing contusion injury with 9.7% finding it very effective. 45.5% wore padding for injury prevention, while 19.2% wore padding to protect from reoccurring injury. 38.6% did not wear shoulder padding because they felt it was not needed for the game of rugby. Sprain/ ligament damage (57.5%) and bruising (55.5%) to the shoulder were the most commonly reported injury. Conclusions Research should focus on quantifying the injury preventive capabilities while also educating the rugby community on shoulder padding. Bruising, cuts and abrasion injuries to the shoulder are prevalent. The ability of shoulder padding to protect from these injuries should be further explored.

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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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Injury and Player Availability in Women’s International Pathway Cricket from 2015 to 2019

International Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1055/a-1192-5670 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (13) ◽

pp. 944-950

Author(s):

Luke Goggins ◽

Anna Warren ◽

Danni Smart ◽

Susan Dale ◽

Nicholas Peirce ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Research Area ◽

Incidence Rates ◽

Medical Illness ◽

Targeted Prevention ◽

Injury Incidence ◽

Prevention Strategies ◽

Time Loss ◽

Gradual Onset ◽

Starting Point ◽

Part Time

AbstractThis prospective cohort study aimed to describe injury and illness epidemiology within women’s international pathway cricket, understanding what influences player availability in this unique context where players are contracted part-time. Approximately 8.4% of players were impacted by injury or illness during the year, with an average 2.3% of players completely unavailable on any given day. Most medical complaints occurred during training (111.2 injuries/100 players per year). Of all complaints, medical illness had the highest overall incidence (45.0 complaints/100 players), followed by hand injuries (24.7 injuries/100 players). Gradual onset injuries were most common. Overall average match time-loss complaint prevalence rate was 4.1% and average match time-loss injury incidence rate was 7.0 injuries/1000 days of play. Fielding (56.4 injuries/100 players per year) was the activity resulting in the highest average overall and time-loss injury incidence rates, though ‘other’ activities (e. g. those occurring outside of cricket participation) collectively accounted for 78.3 injuries/100 players per year. The high incidence of medical illness relative to other complaints may be a distinct feature of the women’s cricket international pathway compared to other cricket samples. The high occurrence of injuries arising from ‘other’ activities, likely due to part-time participation, presents an opportunity for targeted injury prevention strategies.• The first study on an international women’s cricket pathway, contributes to the empirical base for specific injury risks associated with the women’s cricket game, which is an emerging research area for a developing sport.• Some of the findings may be a distinct feature of the women’s cricket international pathway, highlighting potential opportunities for targeted prevention strategies.• With the upcoming development of an elite domestic structure these preliminary findings will provide a good starting point for physiotherapy and medical staff working in these contexts.

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Physical activities of jockeys during a working week

Comparative Exercise Physiology ◽

10.3920/cep210011 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

K.A. Legg ◽

D.J. Cochrane ◽

E.K. Gee ◽

C.W. Rogers

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Physical Training ◽

High Performance ◽

Incidence Rates ◽

Physical Activities ◽

Injury Incidence ◽

Work Time ◽

Low Intensity ◽

Low Intensity Exercise ◽

And Training

Horse racing and training is a physically demanding sport. The aims of this study were to quantify the physical activities of jockeys during a working week and to investigate self-reported fall and injury incidence rates of jockeys at work. A daily workload diary examining workday and physical activities was emailed to all jockeys licensed to ride in a race in New Zealand in 2020. Sixty-three jockeys (25 apprentices, 33 professional and 5 amateur riders) began the diary, representing 38% of the licensed population of jockeys in New Zealand. Jockeys worked a median of 44 (interquartile range (IQR) 33-57) hours, 6-days per week. A median of 7 (IQR 6-9) horses were ridden per day, comprising 58% of work time, with 11 (IQR 7-15) hours per week spent at training pace. Elite jockeys (high performance in the premiership table) spent more time riding in races (1.1, IQR 0.7-1.2 hours per week) than non-elite jockeys (0.0, 0.0-0.4, P=0.01), with 29% (IQR 0-54%) of their weekly rides as race rides. Extra physical training was conducted by 72% of jockeys, which consisted mainly of low intensity exercise such as pleasure riding (56%) and walking (43%). Falls during morning exercise work were recorded by 87% of respondents, 40% of which had sustained an injury in the previous 12 months. Jockeys who participated in extra physical training had higher fall incidence rates per 1000 horses ridden in morning exercise work (3.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.1-3.9, P=0.002) but lower fall incidence rate in race riding (2.1, 95% CI 1.5-2.8, P<0.001) than jockeys who did no extra training (2.5, 95% CI 2.0-3.0 and 5.9, 95% CI 3.8-9.0). Elite jockeys experience a level of specific race exercise which is lacking in the other jockeys.

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