Rehabilitation and Injury Prevention Processes in Elite Rugby

Description

Diarmaid Brennan, the Senior Rehab Coordinator with Leinster Rugby, delivers a comprehensive presentation on the rehabilitation and injury prevention strategies utilized in elite rugby. He begins by emphasizing the importance of prioritizing injury prevention before rehabilitation. Brennan details the systematic approach undertaken by the team, which involves identifying known injury risk factors through literature and in-house data collection, monitoring athletic performance, and addressing potential gaps through targeted injury prevention exercises.



The presentation highlights how the organization has shifted its focus towards designing a return to performance rather than merely fixing injuries. This involves utilizing objective markers to assess players' readiness to return to play, thus moving away from traditional time-based rehabilitation towards a criteria-based model. He explains that integrating feedback from a multidisciplinary team, including rehab coaches, athletic performance coaches, physiotherapists, and medical staff, has significantly improved the rehabilitation process and overall outcomes for players.



Brennan cites the example of syndesmosis injuries, which previously had unclear management pathways but have seen considerable improvement in treatment protocols due to constructive collaboration between coaches and surgeons. He discusses the reduction of immobilization periods and the utilization of evidence-based practices leading to expedited returns to play. By continuing to refine performance markers and rehabilitation strategies, he invites collaboration and knowledge sharing with other stakeholders in the rugby community, aiming to further enhance injury management and performance outcomes.

DOI: 10.1302/3114-210679

Specialties