The Epidemiology of Shoulder Injuries in English Professional Rugby Union

• Published in: The American journal of sports medicine 2007-09, Vol.35 (9), p.1537-1543
• Main Authors: Headey, Julia, Brooks, John H. M., Kemp, Simon P. T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Age Distribution; Athletes; Athletic Injuries - epidemiology; Biological and medical sciences; Body Size; Care and treatment; Causality; Competitive Behavior; England - epidemiology; Epidemiology; Football - injuries; Football - statistics & numerical data; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health aspects; Humans; Incidence; Injuries; Male; Medical sciences; Physical Education and Training - statistics & numerical data; Prospective Studies; Recurrence; Risk Factors; Rugby; Shoulder; Shoulder Injuries; Sport (general aspects); Sports medicine; Trauma Severity Indices; Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents; Vertebrates: body movement. Posture. Locomotion. Flight. Swimming. Physical exercise. Rest. Sports
• ISSN: 0363-5465; 1552-3365
• DOI: 10.1177/0363546507300691

Background: Shoulder injuries constitute a considerable risk to professional rugby union players; however, there is a shortage of detailed epidemiologic information about injuries in this population. Purpose: To describe the incidence, severity, and risk factors associated with shoulder injuries in professional rugby union. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Method: Medical personnel prospectively reported time-loss injuries in professional rugby union in England, and the shoulder injuries were evaluated. Results: The incidence of shoulder injuries was significantly lower during training (0.10/1000 player–training hours) compared with matches (8.9/1000 player–match hours). The most common match injury was acromioclavicular joint injury (32%); the most severe was shoulder dislocation and instability (mean severity, 81 days absent), which also caused the greatest proportion of absence (42%) and had the highest rate of recurrence (62%). The majority of match shoulder injuries were sustained in the tackle (65%), and outside backs were the most likely to sustain an injury from tackling (2.4/1000 player-tackles). Injuries sustained during training were significantly more severe (61 days) than were those sustained during match play (27 days), and defensive training sessions carried the highest risk of injury (0.45/1000 player-hours; mean severity, 67 days). A mean of 241 player-days per club per season were lost to shoulder injuries. Conclusion: Results suggest the potential to reduce this injury burden by modifying training activities and implementing “pre-habilitation” strategies in an effort to minimize the risk of shoulder dislocation/instability. Keywords: risk factors injury surveillance shoulder dislocation/instability acromioclavicular joint injuries