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  • 11.30 More than meets the eye: concussion rates and mechanisms informing sex-specific concussion prevention strategies in high-school rugby union

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11) Risk Reduction/Prevention
11.30 More than meets the eye: concussion rates and mechanisms informing sex-specific concussion prevention strategies in high-school rugby union
  1. Isla Shill1,2,3,4,
  2. Stephen West1,2,3,4,
  3. Stacy Sick1,2,3,4,
  4. Kathryn Schneider1,2,4,5,
  5. J Preston Wiley5,
  6. Brent Hagel1,2,3,4,6,7,
  7. Carolyn Emery1,2,3,4,6,7,
  8. Amanda Black1,2,3,4
  1. 1Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
  2. 2Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
  3. 3O’Brien Institute for Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
  4. 4Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
  5. 5Sport Medicine Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
  6. 6Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
  7. 7Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada

Abstract

Objective To compare injury and concussion rates in female and male high-school rugby players.

Design Cohort study.

Setting Rugby pitches (Calgary, Canada).

Participants 361 female (421 player-seasons) and 421 male (481 player-seasons) high-school rugby players over two playing-seasons (2018 and 2019).

Interventions (or Assessment of Risk Factors) Male and female injury and concussion incidence rates (IR) and tackle-specific IR comparisons were made.

Outcome Measures Match-injuries (medical attention/time loss) and concussions (5th Consensus on Concussion in Sport) were recorded with referral to physician for suspected concussion.

Main Results The match-IR was 62% higher (Incidence Rate Ratio [IRR]=1.62; 95% CI: 1.20–2.18) for females (IR=93.68/1000 match-hours; 95% CI: 78.57–111.71) than males (IR=57.86; 95% CI: 45.35–73.8). Concussion was the most common match-injury for females (40%) and males (38%). The female match-concussion IR (37.47/1000 match-hours; 95% CI: 26.83–52.34) was 70% higher than for males (22.02/1000 match-hours; 95% CI: 15.94–30.43) (IRR=1.70; 95% CI: 1.08–2.69). Explicitly considering the tackle event, the ball carrier-related match-concussion IR for females (IR=11.48; 95% CI: 6.95–18.96) did not differ from males (IR=9.07; 95% CI: 5.50–14.94) (IRR = 1.27; 95% CI: 0.63–2.54). Although not statistically significant, the tackler-related concussion IR was higher for females (IR=18.13; 95% CI: 11.48–28.63) than males (IR=7.77; 95% CI: 3.68–16.41) (IRR = 2.33; 95% CI: 0.98–5.53).

Conclusions Injury and concussion rates are higher for females than males in this Canadian cohort. Video-analysis could inform a greater understanding of the mechanisms of injury within the tackler and ball-carrier events leading to prevention strategies in youth rugby.

https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2023-concussion.388

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