Rugby is one of the most popular sports in the world alongside soccer and cricket. In the
recent years rugby has been gaining in popularity in the United States with athletes from
elementary school to adults playing the game. Now more than 80,000 players are registered
with USA Rugby, 20,000 of these players are high school age. In South Africa however , Rugby
has always been a National Sport.
WHAT TYPES OF INJURIES ARE MOST COMMON IN RUGBY?
Rugby demands the running and endurance of soccer combined with the contact and tackling
that is similar to American football and Rugby League.
With running there is the potential for overuse injuries like tendinitis and bursitis. More
common, however are traumatic injuries sustained during collisions with other players and/or
the ground during scrumming, rucking and tackling.
Overuse Injuries
Because rugby involves a great deal of running, tendinitis of the knee or ankle, medial
tibial stress syndrome (shin splints) and bursitis are all overuse injuries commonly seen.
Although these are usually not considered “serious” injuries, they can adversely affect
performance and possibly lead to more complicated conditions if not properly addressed by a
qualified sports medicine professional.
Traumatic injuries
Because it is a collision sport, traumatic injuries do occur in rugby. They can include
fractured bones, dislocated fingers and elbows, cuts, sprained ligaments and strained
tendons or muscles and deep muscle bruises. There has been an increase of facial fractures
especially of the nose because helmets are not worn.
Knee injuries like medical collateral and anterior cruciate ligament sprains and meniscus
tears can occur from contact forces or from rotational forces during a quick change of
direction. Shoulder injuries from contact with other players or the ground can include
sprains of the acromioclavicular joint (AC separation) or dislocations of the glenohumeral
joint . Because players do not wear any type of protective mask, cuts on the face are fairly
common in rugby players. In addition, rugby tacklers can get injured just as easily as those
being tackled due to the lack of protective body pads.
Concussions
As in other sports that involve speed and contact, concussions can and do happen in rugby.
Confusion, forgetfulness, dizziness, blurred vision and a headaches are just a few possible
symptoms of a concussion. Rugby players are traditionally a tough breed and may attempt to
continue or return to play after a concussion. However, every player with suspected
concussion should be removed from the practice or game. It is vey important that players are
properly evaluated and cleared for play from a qualified medical professional who is
experienced and familiar with modern concussion management.
HOW ARE RUGBY INJURIES TREATED?
When recovering from rugby injury there are few things to consider. As with most sports,
regaining strength and flexibility after an injury are important to a successful
rehabilitation. Neck, shoulder, hip and core strength, as well as flexibility of the
hamstrings and hip flexors are important for overall conditioning and can minimize any
chances of an athlete sustaining a secondary injury. Because rugby is a continuously moving
sport, working to regain a high level of endurance also plays a large role in the
effectiveness of a player returning from a rugby injury.
HOW CAN RUGBY INJURIES BE PREVENTED?
. Practice a balanced and structured training regimen involving strength, flexibility and
endurance.
. Always use proper technique when tackling, rucking and scrumming.
. Learn proper positioning during game play to minimize risky moves
. Maintain proper nutrition and hydration
. Use a quality, properly fitted mouth guard
. Participate at a level consistent with ability
. Adhering to the rules for the formation of the scrum
. Ask your athletic trainer or other sports medicine professionals about any training or
injury questions.
PHYSIOTHERAPY INTERVENTION :
We as Physiotherapists are skilled at diagnosing the specific injury , and then through
multiple modalities , we are able to treat the various common conditions discussed above and
accelerate injury repair.
Deep soft tissue release
Manual therapy and joint mobilisation
Electrotherapy
Shockwave therapy
Acupuncture
Exercise rehabilitation
To prevent the injury recurring , a personalised strength and flexibility programme should
be prescribed .
For the end of season and pre-season , players should seek our professional advice to do a
screening and biomechanical assessment , as this will detect any abnormalities early on and
then a structured programme can be designed for them as a preventative measure. This will
hopefully allow the players to have less injury time during the season .
Clinton Grobbelaar
( Physiotherapist )