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- Talk
- 22/09/2022
- UK
Knee Injuries in English Community Rugby Union: A Ten-Season Prospective Cohort Study 2009-2018
Description
In this presentation, Dr. Benjamin Gompels, a foundation doctor based in Liverpool, shares research he conducted alongside the University of Bath and the English Rugby Union, focusing on knee injuries sustained in English Community Rugby Union over a decade, from 2009 to 2018. He highlights the significance of understanding these injuries, especially since community rugby, which features a diverse athlete population, has lesser documented data compared to professional levels.
Dr. Gompels outlines the study's framework, including participant clubs ranging from semi-professional to lower amateur levels, detailing the methodology for data collection (which includes injury reporting forms and classifications based on severity) and analyzing injury types and occurrences. He finds that the incidence of knee injuries was about 2.8 per 1,000 match hours with an average severity of 11.5 weeks out. Most injuries were due to medial collateral ligament (MCL) damage, while anterior cruciate ligament injuries were noted for their severity.
Notably, higher injury incidences were recorded in September and October, correlating with the start of the rugby season. Dr. Gompels acknowledges both the strengths, being the expansive data set from community levels, and limitations, such as gaps in injury classification accuracy and inconsistent data collection processes. He emphasizes the need for further research, particularly in female rugby, to explore trends related to weather conditions and player fitness.
The presentation concludes with a focus on future research avenues, signaling the increasing importance of community-level rugby injury studies as the sport’s popularity continues to rise.