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Citation
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Chéradame J, Piscione J, Carling C, Guinoiseau JP, Dufour B, Jacqmin-Gadda H, Decq P. Am. J. Sports Med. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: Concussions are a source of major concern in rugby, and a limited number of studies have attempted to identify risk factors for these injuries.
PURPOSE: To investigate the incidence of match concussion and associated risk factors, including individual workload, anthropometric variables, playing position, and season phase, in elite rugby union players. STUDY DESIGN: Case-control study; Level of evidence 3.
METHODS: All concussions and explanatory variables were collected for every match over 5 consecutive seasons (2014-2018) in 1334 professional players participating in the French Top 14 championship. Concussion risk was estimated using mixed effects Poisson regression.
RESULTS: Mean match concussion incidence equated to 10.4 (95% CI, 9.3-11.5) concussions for 1000 hours of game exposure. A peak was reached in the 2016-2017 season (13.7; 95% CI, 11.0-16.5). A greater risk was observed in the playoffs as compared with the first phase of the season (incidence rate ratio, 3.96; 95% CI, 2.10-7.35). In comparison with other positions, half-backs incurred the highest rate of concussion events (incidence, 16.1; 95% CI, 11.8-20.3). Irrespective of playing position, those with greater height and lower body mass reported a higher risk of concussions (P =.02), especially during tackling actions for lighter players (P =.01) and during other match events for taller players (P =.03). When adjusted for season phase, players who had accumulated a higher amount of playing time since the beginning of the season demonstrated a lower risk of concussion (P =.005).
CONCLUSION: Inter- and intraseasonal variations in concussion rates were observed. Within positional groups, lighter and taller players were more at risk, with the highest incidence generally observed in half-backs. Workload was measured by the number of matches played before a concussion event, and it appeared to have a protective rather than deleterious effect on concussion risk.
Language: en |