Match and Training Injuries Sustained by Professional Male Rugby
                    Union Players in Scotland

Stuart John Bailey; Russell Martindale; Lars Engebretsen; James Peter Robson; Debbie Palmer

doi:10.1055/a-2640-9131

International Journal of Sports Medicine, Table of Contents

Int J Sports Med
DOI: 10.1055/a-2640-9131

Training & Testing

Match and Training Injuries Sustained by Professional Male Rugby Union Players in Scotland

Stuart John Bailey

¹School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Ringgold ID: RIN3121)

,

Russell Martindale

¹School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Ringgold ID: RIN3121)

,

Lars Engebretsen

²Department of Sports Medicine, Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center, Oslo, Norway

,

James Peter Robson

³Department of Medicine, Scottish Rugby Union, Edinburgh, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

,

Debbie Palmer

⁴Institute for Sport, PE and Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Sports Medicine Research Network, Edinburgh, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

⁵IOC Research Centre, University of Edinburgh, UK Collaborating Centre on Injury and Illness Prevention in Sport, Edinburgh, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Rugby union (‘rugby’) is a full-contact sport, with previous studies across the globe reporting a high incidence of injury. However, no injury surveillance study of professional male players in Scotland exists in contemporary literature. The current study therefore aimed to describe the incidence, severity, burden and nature of match and training injuries sustained by male professional club rugby players in Scotland. A prospective cohort study of injuries sustained during matches and training across the 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons was undertaken, with injury and exposure definitions in line with the international consensus statements. Injury incidence was 136.2/1,000 player match hours and 4.1/1,000 player training hours, the median injury severity was 7.0 days (match) and 7.5 days (training) and injury burden was 2,887.0/1,000 player match hours and 102.3/1,000 player training hours. Concussion (match) and posterior thigh muscle injuries (training) were the most common specific diagnoses. Injury incidence in this population was higher than reported elsewhere in previous studies. However, high incidences of tackle injuries and concussion injuries agree with previous literature, reinforcing the need for mitigation strategies targeting these areas.

Keywords

Rugby - Epidemiology - Injury - Concussion - Player Welfare

Full Text

References

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Supplementary Material

Supplementary Material