With rugby having become even more popular during the recent World Cup and the season in full-swing, it’s no surprise we’ve seen more rugby-related injuries coming into the clinic. To help you to help yourself, here are some of the most common rugby injuries that we see and how you can help prevent them.
Unsurprisingly, the most common injures we see in the clinic from rugby are contact injuries. These can range from simple bruises and swelling, to more serious conditions including post-dislocation rehab and torn ligaments. That constant pain you’re getting in your shoulder since you got tackled? The throbbing in your knee from suddenly changing direction? It’s best to get it checked rather than risking making it any worse!
But who is most susceptible to injury when playing rugby, when, and why? Injuries in rugby are 3x more likely than football, with most injuries happening between the ages of 10 and 18, adults over the age of 25 have also been found to be at a greater injury risk. Just because you’re in the 18-24 years old bracket doesn’t mean you’ll never pick up an injury though! As expected, most injuries occur whilst tackling, in-game injuries are more common than those which occur during training, and the second half poses a greater injury risk to players.
Of course in contact sports injuries are always going to happen, but what can you do to help prevent them? As with all sports it is important for players to effectively prepare for training and games. A high percentage of injuries occur early on in the season, suggesting that pre-season conditioning is essential in reducing risk to injury. A programme should gradually increase in intensity so that your body can adapt to the demands being placed on it. It should focus on correct technique for rugby skills including tackling, falling technique, and methods of reducing force absorption in tackles- all common times when injuries occur.
If you’re carrying an injury, new or old, or just want some advice on how to enhance your sports performance, contact the Horsham Sports Injury Clinic and we’ll be more than happy to help!