Typical injuries sustained whilst playing rugby

More than 3 million players all over the world take part in rugby at various levels, from professionals to those who turn out every weekend to play in local parks. That makes it among the most popular games and even in America, which you wouldn't usually associate with the sport, there are 80,000 players now registered. Last year in Britain and Ireland nearly 560,000 people were registered to play.
But rugby, by its very nature, is a rough sport necessitating great levels of fitness and stamina for the amount of running involved and physical robustness for enduring hard tackling. As with any contact sport, players will inevitably get injured and there are a number of injury types associated with the game. Cuts and grazes, muscle damage, dislocations, fractured bones and injuries to the head are possible from impacts or severe movements.
At the professional level, qualified coaches oversee the tough training sessions and club medics and physios are available to identify and tend to injuries. A player won't be permitted to return to full training or playing until the physio decides that they are fully fit.
However, at the amateur clubs when a player gets injured, they will often make their own decision on whether they are fit to play. Unfortunately, they will often resume playing too early which can slow down, or even prevent full recovery. This can be particularly dangerous in the case of a head injury.
Common Rugby Injuries
Damage to the Soft Tissues
Most injuries sustained in rugby are to the soft tissues which include ligaments, tendons and about one third of sports injuries are muscle related. Rugby involves a lot of twisting and rapid changes of direction which can result in this type of injury. Also, not allowing sufficient recovery time between matches and training sessions can cause repetitive injuries in these areas.
Having a structured warm up and training regime can help to prevent soft tissue injuries. Stretching extends and contracts tissue and increases the flow of oxygen to the muscles. Training should be specifically targeted to the sport which in rugby would involve bursts of running at different speeds and working the core muscles for balance and agility. When using weights, a suitable program should be implemented. After prolonged activity, cool down by doing a few easy stretches which will bring the heart rate down slowly and ease the muscles.
Impact Damage
Frequent impacts with other players and the ground are part and parcel of the game and as a result trauma injury is common. Bruises, cuts, dislocations of joints, broken bones, face and neck injuries can all occur from collisions. Also, a quick change in direction can twist the knee joint causing injury to the ligament or cartilage.
Impact injuries can take anything from a few days or, in severe cases, several months to recover. Sometimes it will need extended treatment and physio work to get a player match fit. Wearing protective gear such as helmets and gumshields can help to prevent some trauma injuries, but generally they are an accepted risk of playing rugby.
Head Injuries
Among the most contentious issues in the sport is concussion which unfortunately is all too common. Most often it is the result of an impact on the head, but any severe collision which causes an intense shaking of the head could also trigger it. When that type of concussion occurs, it can be more difficult to identify immediately leaving the player at further risk.
Concussion is caused by the movement of the brain within the skull resulting in a trauma injury. This is usually relatively short term but it is crucial that the symptoms are identified quickly, either by the player, officials or team mates. The player might be unable to concentrate and seem to act confused or uncoordinated. They could suffer from tinnitus, blurry vision, slurring their words, pain in the stomach or sickness.
At every match or training session there should be at least one person who knows first-aid and recognises the signs of concussion and will stop the player from continuing. If you suspect a player might have a concussion but stays on the field you should inform the referee. They should be taken to be checked over at a hospital.
As with any trauma, concussion needs complete rest, both mental and physical. Driving is not recommended and any computer screen work should be avoided as much as possible. If a player returns to physical activity too soon the injury could worsen. Also, it increases the risk of a secondary brain injury in an impact which will be worse than the first. Repetitive concussion injuries have been shown to affect the mental health of the patient in the longer term with possible links to ALS and Alzheimer's disease.
The Head Injury Debate
Some medical experts have called for children to be banned from playing rugby or, as a minimum measure, to remove tackles from the youth game. But these actions have not been supported by chief medical officers in the UK or by Headway, the brain injury charity.
Rugby's leading body, World Rugby, feels that better coaching and increased knowledge of the problem are key to reducing the risk. It is believed that if children aren't trained to tackle correctly when starting out in the game, there will be a greater risk of injury for them later as teenagers.
The compulsory wearing of head protection is also not the answer as has been displayed in American football in which there are more incidents of concussion despite their helmets which don't prevent the head from shaking in an impact.
Claiming for a Head Injury
When playing rugby, it is considered that you are accepting the danger of injury. However, although it is not straightforward, a legal expert can explain how to make a claim for a head injury if it is believed that it was caused by recklessness or negligence. It is not a simple process and you would need to gather witness statements and retain all evidence of your medical treatment.