Video analysis of concussion injury mechanism in under-18 rugby

Abstract

BackgroundUnderstanding the mechanism of injury is necessary for the development of effective injury prevention strategies. Video analysis of injuries provides valuable information on the playing situation and athlete-movement patterns, which can be used to formulate these strategies. Therefore, we conducted a video analysis of the mechanism of concussion injury in junior-level rugby union and compared it with a representative and matched non-injury sample.MethodsInjury reports for 18 concussion events were collected from the 2011 to 2013 under-18 Craven Week tournaments. Also, video footage was recorded for all 3 years. On the basis of the injury events, a representative ‘control’ sample of matched non-injury events in the same players was identified. The video footage, which had been recorded at each tournament, was then retrospectively analysed and coded. 10 injury events (5 tackle, 4 ruck, 1 aerial collision) and 83 non-injury events were analysed.ResultsAll concussions were a result of contact with an opponent and 60% of players were unaware of the impending contact. For the measurement of head position on contact, 43% had a ‘down’ position, 29% the ‘up and forward’ and 29% the ‘away’ position (n=7). The speed of the injured tackler was observed as ‘slow’ in 60% of injurious tackles (n=5). In 3 of the 4 rucks in which injury occurred (75%), the concussed player was acting defensively either in the capacity of ‘support’ (n=2) or as the ‘jackal’ (n=1).ConclusionsTraining interventions aimed at improving peripheral vision, strengthening of the cervical muscles, targeted conditioning programmes to reduce the effects of fatigue, and emphasising safe and effective playing techniques have the potential to reduce the risk of sustaining a concussion injury.

Video analysis of tackling situations leading to concussion in collegiate rugby union

“…This study is the first research analyzing tackle situations in which collegiate rugby players experienced a concussion during games. In the previous study, all injured player's previous non-injury situations in the same match and previous matches were extracted as controls 15) . Since the game aspect and tactics change for the opponent team, we considered that it is difficult to compare by simply including tackles extracted from other matches.…”

“…For developing the prevention of concussion, it is essential to clarify inciting events causing concussion. Research on inciting events leading to concussion and HIA with video records has progressed rapidly in recent years [14][15][16][17] . Previous research, targeting the European professional level, suggested there was a higher risk of concussion when the tackler accelerated into a tackle or had head contact with the ball-carrier's head 14,17) .…”

Characteristics and factors of concussion events for tacklers in collegiate rugby union

“…These findings are in line with the results of previous research on the characteristics of tackles based on video records in rugby union. 7,11,12,19 However, the confidence intervals of these characteristics were fairly wide. It is considered that the numbers within the subgroup, tackles with or without a concussion, were not drastically different in comparison to that for other characteristics, and thus, the standard error was large.…”

“…In the present study, we defined the control cohort by a different method compared to that used in previous studies on youth and amateur rugby union. 7,11,12 We included the tackles performed by non-concussed tacklers, who played at the same position as that of the concussed tacklers within the same match, as the control cohort. As a result, we identified some new tackling characteristics related to the occurrence of concussion.…”

Does ball carrier technique influence tackler head injury assessment risk in elite rugby union?

“…Video analysis studies have provided valuable information on injury Quarrie & Hopkins, 2008) and concussion Hendricks et al, 2015Hendricks et al, , 2016 risk factors in rugby union. This has also been the case for concussion injury research in other sports such as rugby league (Gardner et al, 2015), ice hockey (Hutchison, Comper, Meeuwisse, & Echemendia, 2013) and soccer (Andersen, Arnason, Engebretsen, & Bahr, 2004).…”