Recognition and Prevention of Rugby Injuries

Abstract

In brief: Rugby is a popular, strenuous contact sport that demands almost continuous action by the players. Players, coaches, and physicians must be aware of the potential for and types of injuries that occur during matches and of ways to avoid, or at least reduce, this number and severity. Minor and moderate injuries are more frequent than severe injuries, but all must be regarded seriously. Concussions, although relatively rare, can have serious consequences, and cervical spine injuries can be catastrophic. Player fitness and conditioning and a pregame warm-up are all essential for preventing injuries. Equally important are coaching, adherence to the rules of the game, and avoidance of dangerous play. If these measures are practiced consistently, rugby will be safer.

Incidence of facial fractures in the Australian Football League

“…Likewise, dentoalveolar injuries have not been recorded in any of the injury data from 1992 to 2008. Dentoalveolar injuries are disfiguring and are often difficult injuries to reconstruct; because of this, it has previously been advised that participants in contact sports wear a professionally fitted mouthguard …”

Blunt Trauma Causing Aortic Rupture

“…1 " The intima and media of the vessel wall tear, but the more elastic adventitia remains intact. The patient may remain stable as long as pressure within the tear does not exceed a bursting point and the tissues are not otherwise disrupted.…”