Head, face and neck injury in youth rugby: incidence and risk factors

Abstract

Objectives: In this study, the incidence of head, neck and facial injuries in youth rugby was determined, and the associated risk factors were assessed. Design: Data were extracted from a cluster randomised controlled trial of headgear with the football teams as the unit of randomisation. No effect was observed for headgear use on injury rates, and the data were pooled. Setting: General school and club-based community competitive youth rugby in the 2002 and 2003 seasons. Participants: Young male rugby union football players participating in under-13, under 15, under 18 and under 21 years competitions. Eighty-two teams participated in year 1 and 87 in year 2. Main outcome measures: Injury rates for all body regions combined, head, neck and face calculated for game and missed game injuries. Results: 554 head, face and neck injuries were recorded within a total of 28 902 h of rugby game exposure. Level of play and player position were related to injury risk. Younger players had the lowest rates of injury; forwards, especially the front row had the highest rate of neck injury; and inside backs had the highest rate of injuries causing the player to miss a game. Contact events, including the scrum and tackle, were the main events leading to injury. Conclusion: Injury prevention must focus on the tackle and scrum elements of a youth rugby game.Rugby union football is a popular international team sport played by both sexes and all age groups. In recent years, there has been a focus on the injury risks in professional rugby; however, the majority of rugby participants are not professional. [1][2][3][4] Internationally, there has been substantial interest in the causes and management of sporting head injuries. [5][6][7][8] There are unambiguous head and neck injury risks in rugby: head injury accounts for between 15% and 30% of all injury; 15% of injury cases are concussion; serious head injuries are rare; and spinal cord injury rates are very small, but of concern because of the resultant impairment.

Incidence and severity of neck injury in Rugby Union: A systematic review

“…In three of these studies the professional adult male neck injury rates ranged from 1.00 (CI: −0.77, 2.95) to 2.73 (CI: 0.89, 6.41)/1000 match playerhours. 28,39,42 Comparatively one semi-inclusive time-loss defined study 48 of male youths reported an injury rate of 3.3 (CI: 2.7, 4.0)/1000 match player-hours (Supplement 7). After consideration of injury rate confidence intervals there does not appear to be a difference in neck injury rate between professional men and male youth in studies which use a semi-inclusive time-loss sports injury definition.…”

“…Four studies 28,39,42,48 utilised a semi-inclusive timeloss definition which allowed for meaningful comparison (Supplement 7). In three of these studies the professional adult male neck injury rates ranged from 1.00 (CI: −0.77, 2.95) to 2.73 (CI: 0.89, 6.41)/1000 match playerhours.…”

“…35,53 In the same period three studies report on amateur athletes. Two of which report on amateur boys, 43,48 and one which reports on amateur collegiate men and women. 44 Considering amateur players account for the vast majority of those who play RU 62 there is a deficiency in amateur men and women RU neck injury data in the literature.…”

“…Of the 33 studies retrieved only ten 31,32,35,37,38,43,44,48,53,55 prospective studies provide neck injury data from the year 2000 onward. Of these recent articles six report were of elite athlete populations 31,32,35,37,38,53 , four were elite men 31,32,37,38 and two were elite women.…”

BokSmart: Safe and effective techniques in rugby union

“…1,12,[18][19][20]25,30,31,36,40 Measures to reduce the number of catastrophic injuries have included law changes and educational initiatives. 25,30,31 Laws governing the scrum, including scrum engagements, and the tackle have been adapted to make the game safer and to avoid non-fatal catastrophic injuries to the cervical spine.…”