The Characteristics of Training Injuries Among Chinese Competitive Rugby Sevens Players: A Retrospective Study.

Background

Rugby sevens has developed rapidly in China, but research on its related injuries remains limited; thus, clarifying injury characteristics is crucial for targeted prevention.

Objective

The aim of this study is to investigate the distribution and incidence of training-related rugby sevens injuries by age and gender.

Methods

A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted using a self-reported questionnaire, recruiting 414 competitive rugby sevens players (aged 14-24 years) who participated in competitions at the city level or higher. Injuries were defined as rugby-related physical discomfort with training time loss, or medical care regardless of time loss. Injury rates were calculated via the Poisson distribution as standardized incidence per 1000 training hours.

Results

Among 414 participants, 141 reported 283 injuries, with an overall rate of 0.80/1000 h (95% CI: 0.71-0.90), and the ankle (20.1%) and knee (18.7%) were the most common sites. The participants > 18 years had a higher injury rate (1.21/1000 h, 95% CI: 1.03-1.38) than those ≤18 years (0.52/1000 h, 95% CI: 0.42-0.62). Females (1.00/1000 h, 95% CI: 0.82-1.19) had a significantly higher rate than males (0.70/1000 h, 95% CI: 0.60-0.81), with females > 18 years having the highest rate (1.41/1000 h, 95% CI: 1.12-1.71).

Conclusions

Lower-limb injuries (ankle, knee) are most common in 14-24-year-old elite players. Participants > 18 years and females have higher injury risks, providing epidemiological data for age- and gender-specific prevention.