The effect of physical fatigue on tackling technique in Rugby Union

Davidow, Demi; Redman, Matthew; Lambert, Mike; Burger, Nicholas; Smith, Mitchel; Jones, Ben; Hendricks, Sharief

doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2020.04.005

Cited by 26 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Research has shown that physical fatigue after an acute bout of physically fatiguing exercise negatively affects tackling technique in amateur rugby union players. 10 Similar work in elite players comparing tackling technique and the circumstances of concussion events across different phases of the season while accounting for individual match participation time would be pertinent to investigate the potential effects of fatigue accumulated over the season. Another explanation for this finding might the increased stakes of matches later in the season, which are particularly high during the final knockout playoff phase.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Incidence and Risk Factors in Concussion Events: A 5-Season Study in the French Top 14 Rugby Union Championship

et al. 2021

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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.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Incidence and Risk Factors in Concussion Events: A 5-Season Study in the French Top 14 Rugby Union Championship

et al. 2021

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“…Therefore it is important that athletes have the required physical and technical skill set to perform safely and effectively. The development of specific tackle skills have received little attention within the scientific literature 143 , but poor tackle technique has been shown to result in a higher injury risk 144 145 , and fatigue has been shown to alter tackle technique 146 147 . Several frameworks have been proposed on how to train the tackle 148 149 , although the effectiveness of these is yet to be determined.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Returning to Play after Prolonged Training Restrictions in Professional Collision Sports

et al. 2020

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The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has resulted in widespread training disruption in many sports. Some athletes have access to facilities and equipment, while others have limited or no access, severely limiting their training practices. A primary concern is that the maintenance of key physical qualities (e. g. strength, power, high-speed running ability, acceleration, deceleration and change of direction), game-specific contact skills (e. g. tackling) and decision-making ability, are challenged, impacting performance and injury risk on resumption of training and competition. In extended periods of reduced training, without targeted intervention, changes in body composition and function can be profound. However, there are strategies that can dramatically mitigate potential losses, including resistance training to failure with lighter loads, plyometric training, exposure to high-speed running to ensure appropriate hamstring conditioning, and nutritional intervention. Athletes may require psychological support given the challenges associated with isolation and a change in regular training routine. While training restrictions may result in a decrease in some physical and psychological qualities, athletes can return in a positive state following an enforced period of rest and recovery. On return to training, the focus should be on progression of all aspects of training, taking into account the status of individual athletes.

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“…This is consistent with the injury presentation in school rugby. 19 Davidow et al 9 found that although fatigue did not affect dominant shoulder tackles, progressive decline in shoulder tackle proficiency was evident in nondominant shoulder tackles for adult amateur rugby players. It would be interesting to determine if this fatiguing effect was more pronounced in school-age players, whose skill proficiency would likely be less developed than adult players.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Epidemiology of Shoulder Injuries in Schoolboy Rugby Union in Ireland

Leahy

Kenny

Campbell

et al. 2021

Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine

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Background: The shoulder has been reported as a frequent location of injury in adult professional and amateur rugby, with match injury incidence rates ranging from 1.8 to 3 per 1000 player-hours (h). An increased understanding of the incidence and mechanism of shoulder injuries in school rugby players is vital to establish effective injury preventive strategies and advise on appropriate rehabilitation. Purpose: To describe the incidence, nature, and severity of shoulder injuries in schoolboy rugby in Ireland. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Injury surveillance was carried out for Senior Cup teams across two seasons (N = 665 players aged 17-19 years) in Ireland from 2018 to 2020. Match and training injury data were recorded using an online system by trained nominated injury recorders. Match exposure was also recorded. Results: Shoulder match injury incidence was 12.2 per 1000 h (95% CI, 9.1-16.2), with a mean severity of 47 days’ time loss and an overall burden of 573 days per 1000 h. In total, 47 match and 5 training shoulder injuries were recorded. The most common injuries were shoulder dislocations/subluxations (34%), followed by acromioclavicular joint sprains (30%). Shoulder dislocations/subluxations represented the most burdensome injury (280 days per 1000 h). The tackle accounted for the majority (81%) of shoulder injuries. Forwards sustained a significantly higher incidence of shoulder injuries (8.3/1000 h) in comparison with backs (3.9/1000 h), with a rate ratio of 2.13 (95% CI, 1.15-3.94; P = .015). Conclusion: We found a notably higher injury incidence rate in schoolboy rugby as compared with the adult amateur and professional game. Shoulder injuries were responsible for more days lost than any other injury, and shoulder dislocations were the most severe. This is of particular concern so early in a player’s career and warrants further investigation into potential risk factors and mechanisms associated with shoulder injuries in school-age players.

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The effect of physical fatigue on tackling technique in Rugby Union

Cited by 26 publications

References 29 publications

Incidence and Risk Factors in Concussion Events: A 5-Season Study in the French Top 14 Rugby Union Championship

Incidence and Risk Factors in Concussion Events: A 5-Season Study in the French Top 14 Rugby Union Championship

Returning to Play after Prolonged Training Restrictions in Professional Collision Sports

Epidemiology of Shoulder Injuries in Schoolboy Rugby Union in Ireland

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