Incidence and mean severity of match injuries as a function of playing position and location of injury
| Match injuries | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Injury location | Incidence, injuries/1000 player-hours (95% CI) | Mean severity, days (95% CI) | |||||
| Main group | Subgroup | Forwards | Backs | All players | Forwards | Backs | All players |
| Head/neck | All injuries | 18.6 (11.8 to 29.1) | 13.4 (7.6 to 23.6) | 16.1 (11.4 to 23.0) | 14.9 (4.8 -25.1) | 9.4 (5.9 to 12.9) | 12.8 (6.4 to 19.2) |
| Head/face | 16.6 (10.3 to 26.7) | 12.3 (6.8 to 22.2) | 14.6 (10.1 to 21.1) | 16.3 (5.1 to 27.5) | 10.1 (6.5 to 13.7) | 13.9 (6.9 to 20.8) | |
| Neck/cervical spine | 2.0 (0.5 to 7.8) | 1.1 (0.2 to 7.9) | 1.6 (0.5 to 4.8) | 3.5 (2.5 to 4.5) | 2.0 (*) | 3.0 (1.9 to 4.1) | |
| Upper limb | All injuries | 8.8 (4.6 to 16.9) | 25.7 (17.1 to 38.6) | 16.7 (11.8 to 23.6) | 42.3 (0 to 91.8) | 34.2 (8.3 to 60.0) | 36.5 (13.7 to 59.3) |
| Shoulder/clavicle | 6.8 (3.3 to 14.3) | 20.1 (12.7 to 31.9) | 13.0 (8.8 to 19.3) | 52.6 (0 to 115.0) | 41.1 (8.6 to 73.5) | 44.3 (15.7 to 72.8) | |
| U-arm | 0.0 (–) | 0.0 (–) | 0.0 (–) | – | – | – | |
| Elbow | 0.0 (–) | 0.0 (–) | 0.0 (–) | – | – | – | |
| Forearm | 0.0 (–) | 2.2 (0.6 to 8.9) | 1.0 (0.3 to 4.2) | – | 2.5 (1.5 to 3.5) | 2.5 (1.5 to 3.5) | |
| Wrist | 1.0 (0.1 to 6.9) | 2.2 (0.6 to 8.9) | 1.6 (0.5 to 4.8) | 5.0 (*) | 10.5 (0 to 23.2) | 8.7 (0.5 to 16.9) | |
| Hand/fingers | 1.0 (0.1 to 6.9) | 1.1 (0.2 to 7.9) | 1.0 (0.3 to 4.2) | 8.0 (*) | 21.0 (*) | 14.5 (1.8 to 27.2) | |
| Trunk | All injuries | 11.7 (6.7 to 20.6) | 7.8 (3.7 to 16.4) | 9.9 (6.3 to 15.5) | 9.4 (4.3 to 14.5) | 11.0 (6.0 to 16.0) | 10.0 (6.4 to 13.6) |
| U-back/sternum/rib | 6.8 (3.3 to 14.3) | 5.6 (2.3 to 13.4) | 6.3 (3.5 to 11.0) | 12.1 (4.0 to 20.2) | 13.8 (8.7 to 18.9) | 12.8 (7.8 to 17.8) | |
| Abdomen | 1.0 (0.1 to 6.9) | 0.0 (–) | 0.5 (0.1 to 3.7) | 9.0 (*) | – | 9.0 (*) | |
| L-back | 1.0 (0.1 to 6.9) | 1.1 (0.2 to 7.9) | 1.0 (0.3 to 4.2) | 2.0 (*) | 3.0 (*) | 2.5 (1.5 to 3.5) | |
| Pelvis/sacrum | 2.9 (0.9 to 9.1) | 1.1 (0.2 to 7.9) | 2.1 (0.8 to 5.6) | 5.7 (1.7 to 9.6) | 5.0 (*) | 5.5 (2.7 to 8.3) | |
| Lower limb | All injuries | 40.0 (29.5 to 54.4) | 42.4 (30.9 to 58.3) | 41.1 (33.0 to 51.3) | 25.2 (9.3 to 41.1) | 30.2 (16.2 to 44.2) | 27.7 (17.1 to 38.3) |
| Hip/groin | 2.9 (0.9 to 9.1) | 4.5 (1.7 to 11.9) | 3.6 (1.7 to 7.6) | 5.0 (3.0 to 7.0) | 23.5 (1.3 to 45.7) | 15.6 (1.6 to 29.5) | |
| Thigh (anterior) | 1.0 (0.1 to 6.9) | 3.3 (1.1 to 10.4) | 2.1 (0.8 to 5.6) | 3.0 (*) | 4.7 (2.9 to 6.4) | 4.3 (2.8 to 5.7) | |
| Thigh (posterior) | 9.8 (5.3 to 18.2) | 15.6 (9.3 to 23.6) | 12.5 (8.4 to 18.6) | 20.9 (7.7 to 34.1) | 23.6 (11.0 to 36.1) | 22.5 (13.5 to 31.4) | |
| Knee | 11.7 (6.7 to 20.6) | 6.7 (3.0 to 14.9) | 9.4 (5.9 to 14.9) | 57.5 (4.3 to 110.6) | 86.8 (20.2 to 153.5) | 67.8 (26.9 to 108.8) | |
| L-leg/Achilles | 5.9 (2.6 to 13.0) | 6.7 (3.0 to 14.9) | 6.3 (3.5 to 11.0) | 12.7 (1.3 to 24.0) | 14.0 (0 to 32.5) | 13.3 (3.0 to 23.7) | |
| Ankle | 6.8 (3.3 to 14.3) | 5.6 (2.3 to 13.4) | 6.3 (3.5 to 11.0) | 9.6 (3.6 to 15.5) | 21.2 (4.3 to 38.1) | 14.4 (6.3 to 22.5) | |
| Foot/toe | 2.0 (0.5 to 7.8) | 0.0 (–) | 1.0 (0.3 to 4.2) | 3.0 (1.0 to 5.0) | – | 3.0 (1.0 to 5.0) | |
| Injury location not identified | 5.9 (2.6 to 13.0) | 4.5 (1.7 to 11.9) | 5.2 (2.8 to 9.7) | 6.0 (3.1 to 14.3) | 18.3 (0 to 46.9) | 10.9 (0 to 22.1) | |
| All injury locations | 85.0 (68.9 to 104.8) | 93.8 (75.7 to 116.1) | 89.1 (76.7 to 103.5) | 21.2 (11.8 to 30.6) | 26.2 (16.5 to 35.9) | 23.6 (16.9 to 30.4) | |
↵* Only one result in category.
L, lower; U, upper.