Injury and concussion in youth female rugby: Evaluating and informing injury and concussion prevention strategies
Date
2024-06-17
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Abstract
Injury and concussion rates in Canadian female high school rugby are the highest reported in youth rugby. The tackle accounts for the largest proportion of injuries. All injury prevention strategy evaluations are in male populations with none in youth females. This is insufficient to improve female player welfare. Therefore, the objectives of this dissertation were to (1) summarise the rugby injury epidemiology literature within youth female rugby, (2) discuss strengths and limitations of the literature using video analysis for rugby injury epidemiology, (3) evaluate the association between tackle-related characteristics and concussion in female rugby (high school, varsity), and (4) evaluate the effectiveness of a rugby-specific neuromuscular training (NMT) warm-up on injury and concussion in high school female rugby. The association between tackle-related characteristics and suspected concussion was examined using a case-control video analysis study. Within female varsity rugby, ball-carrier concussion was associated with head contact intensity of 2/4 and 3-4/4, illegal and tap tackle, and down head position. Tackler concussion was associated with 3 tacklers in the event, tap tackle, head contact intensity of 3-4/4, and away head position. Within a female high school population, ball-carrier concussion was associated with illegal and trip/collision tackle, increased tackle height compared with knee to upper leg, deceleration and no change of speed, and any head contact. Tackler concussion was associated with 2-3 tacklers in the event, tap or trip/collision tackle, sternum to armpit tackle height, down head position, and any head contact. The effectiveness of a rugby-specific NMT warm-up in high school female rugby players was evaluated using a multi-year quasi-experimental study. There was no difference in injury and concussion rates between control and intervention cohorts, as well as no differences based on adherence to the NMT warm-up. All match and training injury burden were estimated to be lower in those that used a NMT warm-up compared with those that did not. These studies provide a summary of injury prevention evaluations in female rugby. To inform appropriate recommendations for female player safety, a multifaceted approach to injury prevention should be considered. A combination of a NMT warm-up and a tackle injury prevention intervention, such as a tackle training program or tackle law change (e.g., lower legal tackle height), should be considered.
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Keywords
Female, Youth, Rugby union, Injury prevention, Neuromuscular training warm-up, Tackle, Video analysis, Concussion
Citation
Shill, I. J. (2024). Injury and concussion in youth female rugby: evaluating and informing injury and concussion prevention strategies (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.