Preseason injury epidemiology and associated injury risk factors among South African junior provincial rugby players: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND

The preseason period in rugby plays a key role in athlete preparation for the demands of the sport during the in-competition period. Epidemiological data pertaining to rugby have focused mainly on senior elite professional with little evidence available for junior elite professionals, and even less during the preseason period. This may limit the ability of stakeholders in the sport to understand the effects of injury on participants during the preseason period.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and associated risk factors for injury among elite male junior provincial rugby players in South Africa during a 14-week preseason period.

DESIGN

A prospective cohort study.

METHODS

Data collection procedures were in-line with consensus statements in sports and rugby. Prospective injury data related to 53 male participants were collected. Descriptive statistics was used to describe clinical characteristics of injury, cross-tabulations were created to investigate risk factor associations, and logistic regression was used to model the risk factors.

RESULTS

The overall injury prevalence was 75.5%. The incidence of match play injuries (149.26/1000 h) were higher than training injuries (23.32/1000 h). Injuries to the lower limb (48.8%) and muscle/tendon injuries (48.2%) were most commonly reported injuries by anatomical region and tissue type during the preseason period. When controlling for age and playing position, baseline injury was associated with a higher risk of sustaining a subsequent injury during preseason. Age, baseline injury, and playing position showed no statistically significant association with injury risk.

CONCLUSION

A high number of training and match play injury incidence were recorded for elite male junior provincial rugby players. Baseline injury was associated with a higher risk of sustaining a subsequent injury during preseason when controlling for playing position and age.