The relationship between physical game demands and injury rehabilitation in international rugby union: a global positioning system analysis

Abstract

Background Over the past 10 years the methodologies and technology of recording professional rugby union game data has greatly improved with global positioning system (GPS) now the gold standard. Objective The aims of the present study were to evaluate the physical demands of the game at an international rugby union level using a GPS and establish the potential of the system in providing feedback to the management (sports medicine and coaching) team in relation to the mechanism/prevention of injury, as well as rehabilitation and exercise load prior to return to play. Setting International rugby union team. Patients Two international rugby union players were recruited to participate in this investigation. Interventions GPS data generated by the two players (one forward and one back) in an international test match were analysed, Main outcome measurements Specifi cally speed zones and bodyload sustained in tackles and scrum activities. Results The back covered a greater overall distance compared to the forward. The forward had a higher number of entries into the low speed zones of standing/non-purposeful movements and walking with fewer entries into the high-intensity running and maximal speed running. Work-to-rest ratios were identical for both players over the course of the game. The forward player sustained a signifi cantly higher number of impacts and total bodyload. Total and average bodyload in tackles made were larger for the back, with this trend reversed for tackles against. Conclusion GPS data provides important performance indicators, assists in the development of conditioning and training protocols, as well as injury management and return to play criteria for players. This information should be utilised to identify injury prevention strategies and game characteristics, as well as improving player welfare.

Return to Play in Elite Rugby Union: Application of Global Positioning System Technology in Return-to-Running Programs

“…11 Despite the increased popularity in the use of GPS in Rugby Union in a clinical setting, only 2 studies have previously reported on the use of this technology to measure the physical demands of Rugby Union in 2 player positions. 3,4 The principal finding of the current study is that differences in these demands were observed using GPS technology in 8 player positions in an elite-club Rugby Union game. During the course of a game, players are required to use a range of energy systems combining low-intensity activity with intermittent bouts of various anaerobic high-intensity movements and power-based tasks in offense and defense phases of play.…”

“…The function of GPS devices in sport and in Rugby Union has previously been described. 3,4,10 The GPS device in this study was protected using a plastic case and secured between the shoulder blades and upper thoracic spine using a custom-built harness. Higher sampling rates have been advocated in improving the reliability and validity of GPS devices, 10 and therefore data were sampled at a rate of 5 Hz.…”

“…From the raw-data files, locomotion data were extracted and then classified into parameters based on previous investigations as standing, nonpurposeful movement, or static-based work (0-0.5 m/s); walking (0.6-1.7 m/s); low-intensity running (1.8-3.6 m/s); medium-intensity running (3.7-5.0 m/s); high-intensity running (5.1-6.7 m/s); and maximal-speed running (≥6.8 m/s). 3,4 Data were subsequently separated into variables including the distance covered, entries into speed zones, and the amount of time and distance in the speed zones for individual player positions. All data were input into Microsoft Excel 4 (Version 7, Microsoft Corp, Redmond, WA), and data were formatted into tables for comparison.…”

“…Notational (subjective), digital (objective), and global positioning system (GPS) technology have all been successfully used to describe the common movement patterns and tasks that players perform in the game. [3][4][5][6][7] Most time-motion studies in Rugby Union have used the notational method. The recent introduction of GPS technology to the sport has allowed for the communication of real-time information and the ability to monitor the physical game demands of multiple players in different field positions simultaneously.…”

Automatic detection of collisions in elite level rugby union using a wearable sensing device

“…In the context of this work, we refer to real time as the delivery of player measurements to coaches and staff with negligible delay between the actual event and the measurement delivery time. Recent studies have measured the physiological demands of professional rugby union using GPS sensing technology at both international test match [7] and club level [8]. GPS receivers, which are in constant signal contact with orbital satellites, track player position over time, and have primarily been used to measure player speed and distance travelled during training sessions of competition.…”