Match and Training Injuries in Rugby League

Rugby league is an international collision sport played by junior, amateur, semiprofessional and professional players. The game requires participants to be involved in physically demanding activities such as running, tackling, passing and sprinting, and musculoskeletal injuries are common. A review of injuries in junior and senior rugby league players published in Sports Medicine in 2004 reported that injuries to the head and neck and muscular injuries were common in senior rugby league players, while fractures and injuries to the knee were common in junior players. This current review updates the descriptive data on rugby league epidemiology and adds information for semiprofessional, amateur and junior levels of participation in both match and training environments using studies identified through searches of PubMed, CINHAL, Ovid, MEDLINE, SCOPUS and SportDiscus® databases.This review also discusses the issues surrounding the definitions of injury exposure, injury rate, injury severity and classification of injury site and type for rugby league injuries. Studies on the incidence of injuries in rugby league have suffered from inconsistencies in the injury definitions utilized. Some studies on rugby league injuries have utilized a criterion of a missed match as an injury definition, total injury incidences or a combination of both timeloss and non-time-loss injuries, while other studies have incorporated a medical treatment injury definition. Efforts to establish a standard definition for rugby league injuries have been difficult, especially as some researchers were not in favour of a definition that was all-encompassing and enabled non-time-loss injuries to be recorded. A definition of rugby league injury has been suggested based on agreement by a group of international researchers.The majority of injuries occur in the match environment, with rates typically increasing as the playing level increases. However, professional level injury rates were reportedly less than semiprofessional participation. Only a few studies have reported training injuries in rugby league, where injury rates were reported to be less than match injuries. Approximately 16–30% of all rugby league injuries have been reported as severe, which places demands upon other team members and, if the player returns to playing too early, places them at an increased risk of further injuries. Early research in rugby league identified that ligament and joint injuries were the common injuries, occurring primarily to the knee. More recently, studies have shown a change in anatomical injury sites at all levels of participation. Although the lower limb was the frequent injury region reported previously, the shoulder has now been reported to be the most common injury site. Changes in injury site and type could be used to prompt further research and development of injury reduction programmes to readdress the issue of injuries that occur as a result of participation in rugby league activities. Further research is warranted at all participation levels of rugby league in both the match and training environments to confirm the strongest risk factors for injury.

[1]  T. Gabbett,et al.  Injuries in the New Zealand semi-professional rugby league competition , 2009 .

[2]  Tim J Gabbett,et al.  Training Injuries in Rugby League: An Evaluation of Skill‐Based Conditioning Games , 2002, Journal of strength and conditioning research.

[3]  T J Gabbett,et al.  Influence of injuries on team playing performance in Rugby League. , 2004, Journal of science and medicine in sport.

[4]  J. White,et al.  Injury in summer rugby league football: the experiences of one club. , 1998, British journal of sports medicine.

[5]  C. Gissane,et al.  Injury Rates in Rugby League Football: Impact of Change in Playing Season , 2003, The American journal of sports medicine.

[6]  Walker Rd Sports injuries: rugby league may be less dangerous than union. , 1985 .

[7]  Tim J Gabbett,et al.  Incidence of injury in junior rugby league players over four competitive seasons. , 2008, Journal of science and medicine in sport.

[8]  P McNair,et al.  Incidence of sporting injury in New Zealand youths aged 6-15 years. , 1998, British journal of sports medicine.

[9]  N. Gibbs,et al.  Injuries in professional rugby league , 1993, The American journal of sports medicine.

[10]  J Dvorak,et al.  Consensus statement on injury definitions and data collection procedures in studies of football (soccer) injuries. , 2006, British journal of sports medicine.

[11]  M Schootman,et al.  Study Designs and Potential Biases in Sports Injury Research , 1994, Sports medicine.

[12]  T J Gabbett,et al.  Incidence of injury in semi-professional rugby league players , 2003, British journal of sports medicine.

[13]  Conor Gissane,et al.  A Pooled Data Analysis of Injury Incidence in Rugby League Football , 2002, Sports medicine.

[14]  A. Junge,et al.  Influence of Definition and Data Collection on the Incidence of Injuries in Football , 2000, The American journal of sports medicine.

[15]  J W Orchard,et al.  Methods for injury surveillance in international cricket , 2005, British Journal of Sports Medicine.

[16]  L H Phillips,et al.  Sports injury incidence , 2000, British journal of sports medicine.

[17]  S Jennings,et al.  Health and safety implications of injury in professional rugby league football. , 2003, Occupational medicine.

[18]  Wayne Hoskins,et al.  For Debate: Consensus Injury Definitions in Team Sports Should Focus on Missed Playing Time , 2007, Clinical journal of sport medicine : official journal of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine.

[19]  T J Gabbett,et al.  Incidence of injury in amateur rugby league sevens , 2002, British journal of sports medicine.

[20]  D. Eizenberg Football injuries in Australia at the élite level , 1993 .

[21]  R. B. Chambers Orthopaedic injuries in athletes (ages 6 to 17) , 1979, American Journal of Sports Medicine.

[22]  T J Gabbett,et al.  Training injuries in New Zealand amateur rugby league players. , 2008, Journal of science and medicine in sport.

[23]  R Meir,et al.  Physical Fitness Qualities of Professional Rugby League Football Players: Determination of Positional Differences , 2001, Journal of strength and conditioning research.

[24]  Tim J Gabbett,et al.  Science of rugby league football: A review , 2005, Journal of sports sciences.

[25]  A S McIntosh,et al.  Consensus Statement on Injury Definitions and Data Collection Procedures for Studies of Injuries in Rugby Union , 2007, Clinical journal of sport medicine : official journal of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine.

[26]  M E Batt,et al.  Effects of seasonal change in rugby league on the incidence of injury. , 1998, British journal of sports medicine.

[27]  T J Gabbett,et al.  Incidence, site, and nature of injuries in amateur rugby league over three consecutive seasons , 2000, British journal of sports medicine.

[28]  Tim J Gabbett,et al.  Influence of physiological characteristics on selection in a semi-professional first grade rugby league team: a case study , 2002, Journal of sports sciences.

[29]  Tim J Gabbett,et al.  Relationships between training load, injury, and fitness in sub-elite collision sport athletes , 2007, Journal of sports sciences.

[30]  Caroline F Finch,et al.  Sport, age, and sex specific incidence of sports injuries in Western Australia , 2000, British journal of sports medicine.

[31]  L. Barnsley,et al.  Frequency of injuries in different age-groups in an elite rugby league club. , 1995, Australian journal of science and medicine in sport.

[32]  T J Gabbett,et al.  Severity and cost of injuries in amateur rugby league: A case study , 2001, Journal of sports sciences.

[33]  John Orchard,et al.  Is There a Relationship Between Ground and Climatic Conditions and Injuries in Football? , 2002, Sports medicine.

[34]  T J Gabbett,et al.  Influence of the limited interchange rule on injury rates in sub-elite Rugby League players. , 2005, Journal of science and medicine in sport.

[35]  T. Gabbett,et al.  Amateur rugby league match injuries in New Zealand , 2009 .

[36]  Tim J Gabbett,et al.  INFLUENCE OF PLAYING POSITION ON THE SITE, NATURE, AND CAUSE OF RUGBY LEAGUE INJURIES , 2005, Journal of strength and conditioning research.

[37]  J. White,et al.  Differences in the incidence of injury between rugby league forwards and backs. , 1997, Australian journal of science and medicine in sport.

[38]  P. Hume,et al.  Rugby league injuries in New Zealand: a review of 8 years of Accident Compensation Corporation injury entitlement claims and costs , 2009, British Journal of Sports Medicine.

[39]  B. C. Vickery METHODOLOGY IN RESEARCH , 1970 .

[40]  K. Addley,et al.  Irish rugby injury survey: Dungannon Football Club (1986-87). , 1988, British journal of sports medicine.

[41]  Willem van Meche Incidence, Severity, Aetiology and Prevention of Sports Injuries A Review of Concepts , 1992 .

[42]  Conor Gissane,et al.  Incidence of Injury in Rugby League Football , 1993 .

[43]  T J Gabbett,et al.  Reductions in pre-season training loads reduce training injury rates in rugby league players , 2004, British Journal of Sports Medicine.

[44]  Jack F. Davis,et al.  Applied Physiology of Rugby League , 1995, Sports medicine.

[45]  R. Meir Evaluating player fitness in professional rugby league: reducing subjectivity , 1994 .

[46]  W Hoskins,et al.  Injury in rugby league. , 2006, Journal of science and medicine in sport.

[47]  J Orchard,et al.  Missed time through injury and injury management at an NRL club , 2004 .

[48]  T. Gabbett,et al.  Epidemiological studies of injuries in rugby league: suggestions for definitions, data collection and reporting methods. , 2009, Journal of science and medicine in sport.

[49]  D. Alexander,et al.  Injuries In Rugby LEAGUE FOOTBALL , 1979, The Medical journal of Australia.

[50]  Tim J Gabbett,et al.  For Debate: Consensus Injury Definitions in Team Sports Should Focus on Encompassing all Injuries , 2007, Clinical journal of sport medicine : official journal of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine.

[51]  W Hoskins,et al.  Rugby league injuries at State of Origin level , 2007 .

[52]  R A Meir,et al.  Injury consequences from participation in professional rugby league: a preliminary investigation. , 1997, British journal of sports medicine.

[53]  H Seward,et al.  Epidemiology of injuries in the Australian Football League, seasons 1997–2000 , 2002, British journal of sports medicine.

[54]  D. MacLeod,et al.  Epidemiology of rugby football injuries , 1995, The Lancet.

[55]  Phil Larder The Rugby League Coaching Manual , 1992 .

[56]  J. Sandelin,et al.  Sports Injuries in a Large Urban Population: Occurrence and Epidemiological Aspects , 1988, International journal of sports medicine.

[57]  Tim J Gabbett,et al.  Influence of training and match intensity on injuries in rugby league , 2004, Journal of sports sciences.

[58]  C. Gissane,et al.  Injury in rugby league: a four year prospective survey. , 1996, British journal of sports medicine.

[59]  Stephen W Marshall,et al.  Issues in estimating risks and rates in sports injury research. , 2006, Journal of athletic training.

[60]  T. Gabbett,et al.  Injuries in a national women's rugby league tournament: an initial investigation. , 2007 .

[61]  T J Gabbett,et al.  Physiological characteristics of junior and senior rugby league players , 2002, British journal of sports medicine.

[62]  Rudi A Meir,et al.  Time and motion analysis of professional rugby league: a case study , 1993 .

[63]  Tim J Gabbett,et al.  Risk Factors for Injury in Subelite Rugby League Players , 2005, The American journal of sports medicine.

[64]  N. Gibbs,et al.  Common Rugby League Injuries , 1994, Sports medicine.

[65]  S. Kemp,et al.  Recent trends in rugby union injuries. , 2008, Clinics in sports medicine.

[66]  Thomas M. Best,et al.  Evidence-based sports medicine / , 2007 .

[67]  T. Timpka,et al.  From Sports Injury Prevention to Safety Promotion in Sports , 2006, Sports medicine.

[68]  Caroline Finch,et al.  A new framework for research leading to sports injury prevention. , 2006, Journal of science and medicine in sport.

[69]  Y. Takarada Evaluation of muscle damage after a rugby match with special reference to tackle plays , 2003, British journal of sports medicine.

[70]  Colin W Fuller,et al.  The Influence of Methodological Issues on the Results and Conclusions from Epidemiological Studies of Sports Injuries , 2006, Sports medicine.

[71]  Caroline F. Finch,et al.  An Overview of Some Definitional Issues for Sports Injury Surveillance , 1997, Sports medicine.

[72]  M. Batt,et al.  An Analysis of Injury Rates After the Seasonal Change in Rugby League , 2006, Clinical journal of sport medicine : official journal of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine.

[73]  D. Alexander,et al.  Rugby League Football Injuries Over Two Competition Seasons , 1980, The Medical journal of Australia.

[74]  Tim J Gabbett,et al.  Incidence of Injury in Junior and Senior Rugby League Players , 2004, Sports medicine.

[75]  T J Gabbett,et al.  Incidence of injuries in the New Zealand national rugby league sevens tournament. , 2006, Journal of science and medicine in sport.

[76]  John W. Powell,et al.  Analysis of Injury Rates and Treatment Patterns for Time-Loss and Non-Time-Loss Injuries Among Collegiate Student-Athletes. , 2004, Journal of athletic training.

[77]  A. Coutts,et al.  Hearth rate, blood lactate concetration and estimated energy expediture in a semi-profesional rugby league team during a match: case study , 2003, Journal of sports sciences.

[78]  Donna O'Connor,et al.  Groin injuries in professional rugby league players: a prospective study , 2004, Journal of sports sciences.

[79]  J. Karlsson,et al.  The risk for injury in football. There is a need for a consensus about definition of the injury and the design of studies , 2003 .