Incidence (number per 1000 player-hours) and severity (days absence) of specific injuries as a function of playing position
| Injury (region and diagnostic category) | Forwards | Backs | All | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incidence | Severity | Incidence | Severity | Incidence | Severity | |
| Superscript values in parentheses are the five most common injuries in each playing position. | ||||||
| *Excluding haematomas/contusions. | ||||||
| ACL, Anterior cruciate ligament; LCL, lateral collateral ligament; MCL, medial collateral ligament; PCL, posterior cruciate ligament. | ||||||
| Head/neck | ||||||
| Concussion | 0.01 | 17 | 0.02 | 13 | 0.02 | 14 |
| Head/facial laceration | 0.02 | 5 | 0.01 | 4 | 0.02 | 4 |
| Cervical nerve root injury | 0.02 | 32 | 0.02 | 11 | 0.02 | 21 |
| Shoulder | ||||||
| Dislocation/instability, shoulder | 0.03 | 164 | 0.02 | 148 | 0.03 | 157 |
| Acromioclavicular joint injury | 0.07 | 26 | 0.06 | 20 | 0.07 | 24 |
| Rotator cuff/shoulder impingement | 0.01 | 37 | 0.01 | 61 | 0.01 | 49 |
| Arm/elbow/wrist/hand | ||||||
| Arm fracture | 0.01 | 46 | – | – | 0.01 | 46 |
| Wrist/hand fracture | 0.03 | 25 | 0.02 | 38 | 0.03 | 30 |
| Chest | ||||||
| Costochondral/sternal injury | 0.04 | 25 | – | – | 0.02 | 25 |
| Rib fracture/contusion | 0.03 | 29 | 0.01 | 18 | 0.02 | 27 |
| Thoracic/lumbar spine | ||||||
| Thoracic facet joint injury | 0.03 | 10 | – | – | 0.02 | 10 |
| Lumbar facet joint injury | 0.05 | 7 | 0.02 | 23 | 0.04 | 11 |
| Lumbar disc, nerve root injury | 0.19 (2 = ) | 40 | 0.05 | 21 | 0.13 (5) | 37 |
| Lumbar soft tissue injury | 0.04 | 9 | 0.06 | 6 | 0.05 | 8 |
| Groin/hip/buttock | ||||||
| Adductor muscle injury* | 0.07 | 16 | 0.10 (4 = ) | 31 | 0.08 | 23 |
| Inguinal canal injury | 0.01 | 61 | 0.02 | 7 | 0.02 | 25 |
| Thigh | ||||||
| Hip flexor/quadriceps muscle injury* | 0.15 (5) | 9 | 0.17 (3) | 8 | 0.16 (3) | 9 |
| Haematoma, thigh | 0.01 | 5 | 0.02 | 5 | 0.02 | 5 |
| Hamstring muscle injury* | 0.28 (1) | 15 | 0.32 (1) | 19 | 0.30 (1) | 17 |
| Knee | ||||||
| MCL injury | 0.05 | 48 | 0.04 | 24 | 0.05 | 40 |
| ACL injury | – | – | 0.02 | 245 | 0.01 | 245 |
| PCL/LCL injury | 0.01 | 90 | – | – | 0.01 | 90 |
| Knee meniscal/articular cartilage injury | 0.04 | 59 | 0.04 | 65 | 0.04 | 61 |
| Knee joint sprain | 0.02 | 16 | 0.04 | 11 | 0.03 | 13 |
| Lower leg | ||||||
| Haematoma, calf/shin | 0.02 | 2 | 0.04 | 18 | 0.03 | 11 |
| Calf muscle injury* | 0.17 (4) | 17 | 0.18 (2) | 9 | 0.17 (2) | 14 |
| Tibia/fibula fracture | 0.02 | 132 | 0.01 | 32 | 0.02 | 98 |
| Achilles tendon injury | 0.05 | 67 | 0.06 | 15 | 0.06 | 43 |
| Inferior tibia-fibula syndesmosis injury | 0.04 | 17 | 0.01 | 25 | 0.03 | 19 |
| Ankle/heel/foot | ||||||
| Ankle joint capsule sprain | 0.03 | 8 | 0.02 | 9 | 0.03 | 8 |
| Lateral ankle ligament injury | 0.19 (2 = ) | 16 | 0.10 (4 = ) | 9 | 0.15 (4) | 14 |
| Foot stress fracture | 0.02 | 31 | 0.04 | 26 | 0.03 | 28 |
| Haematoma, foot/ankle | 0.01 | 12 | 0.04 | 6 | 0.02 | 8 |