A survey of the occurrence of TAG rugby injuries : short article

Background : TAG rugby is a popular sport in Ireland, with an estimated 8,000 regular participants. Research question : To evaluate the incidence of self-reported injury in TAG rugby players at a single venue over the final four weeks of a ten-week competition. Type of study : Two questionnaire-based components. Methods : The first component involved a cohort of eighty players followed over a four-week period. Any injuries sustained were recorded by self-report on the day. The second, a cross-sectional analysis of injuries in a separate group of one hundred and fifty players, was recorded by self-report at the end of the same period. Results : Sixteen injuries occurred in the eighty-player cohort during the study period. The majority were to the lower and upper limb. In a mixed social group of players, there was no difference (p=0.19) in the occurrence of injuries between males and females, however injuries were more frequent in those that did not warm up (p=0.014). The outcomes from the second questionnaire component supported the cohort data, with the risk of injury being unrelated to sex, age, previous playing experience, level of expertise or the wearing of studs. Conclusion : This is the first study to determine a self-reported injury rate for TAG rugby. An injury rate of one injury per 8.9 hours of competitive play was observed, with similar rates in males and females. Any period of warm-up prior to play was associated with fewer injuries. This suggests that warm-up is an important injury prevention strategy during TAG rugby competition.