Table 2.
Summary of pooled analysis of match injuries by total and participation level per 1000 match-hr with 95% confidence intervals and number of studies by player role, injury region, top four reported injury type and injury cause, injury severity and injury period for included published rugby league studies.
| Total |
Professional |
Elite |
Semi-Professional |
Amateur |
Junior |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rate (95%CI) n | Rate (95%CI) n | Rate (95%CI) n | Rate (95%CI) n | Rate (95%CI) n | Rate (95%CI) n | |
| Player Role | ||||||
| Forwards | 172.2g (165.9–178.8) 19 | 77.4bcdeg (71.6–83.8) 5 | 91.9acdeg (72.8–115.9) 1 | 382.7abdeg (361.1–405.6) 3 | 198.2abcg (186.1–211.2) 8 | 235.4abc (170.6–324.9) 1 |
| Backs |
127.8f (122.7–133.0) 19 |
53.1cdef (48.6–57.9) 5 |
42.1cdef (30.7–57.9) 1 |
276.9abdef (259.9–294.9) 3 |
158.3abcf (148.3–169.1) 8 |
185.4abc (132.5–259.5) 1 |
| Injury region | ||||||
| Head-Neck | 37.8 (36.4–39.3) 32 | 29.1bcde (27.4–30.8) 9 | 7.4acde (5.3–10.2) 2 | 68.6abde (63.0–74.7) 5 | 53.3abce (49.8–57.1) 13 | 15.1abcd (10.1–22.8) 3 |
| Upper Limb | 32.8 (31.3–34.3) 25 | 25.6bcd (23.9–30.8) 7 | 12.8acde (10.0–16.3) 2 | 72.8abde (67.0–79.0) 5 | 31.4abc (28.5–34.7) 9 | 23.7bc (17.0–33.2) 2 |
| Lower Limb | 65.6 (63.5–67.8) 25 | 54.3bcde (51.7–56.9) 7 | 27.3acde (23.1–32.3) 2 | 157.2abde (148.7–166.3) 5 | 50.0abc (46.2–54.1) 9 | 38.4abc (29.5–50.0) 2 |
| Chest-Back-Other |
16.3 (15.3–17.4) 25 |
15.4bde (26.5–30.5) 8 |
5.2ace (3.5–7.6) 2 |
17.8be (15.1–21.0) 5 |
20.8ae (18.4–23.5) 9 |
11.2abcd (6.8–18.2) 2 |
| Injury type | ||||||
| Haematomas | 44.1 (41.6–46.7) 13 | 9.8bcde (8.0–12.1) 2 | 12.2acd (9.5–15.6) 2 | 137.5abde (127.7–148.0) 3 | 44.7abce (11.5–26.5) 3 | 14.0acd (9.0–21.6) 2 |
| Contusion | 38.3 (36.5–40.1) 20 | 21.5bcde (19.9–23.3) 7 | 8.4acd (5.8–12.1) 1 | 80.5abde (74.3–87.2) 3 | 100.0abce (91.9–108.9) 7 | 5.6acd (2.8–11.2) 2 |
| Strain | 39.2 (37.6–40.9) 26 | 20.5bcde (19.3–21.7) 9 | 9.2acd (6.9–12.2) 2 | 110.0abde (102.7–117.7) 4 | 44.3abce (40.7–48.1) 9 | 11.2acd (6.8–18.2) 2 |
| Sprain |
37.2 (35.7–38.8) 27 |
22.2bcde (21.0–23.5) 9 |
18.5acde (15.1–22.7) 2 |
69.7abde (63.9–75.9) 4 |
33.5abc (30.4–36.8) 10 |
32.1abc (24.1–42.9) 2 |
| Injury Cause | ||||||
| Ball Carrier | 58.2 (55.8–60.7) 25 | 24.6cd (22.6–26.9) 7 | 16.5cd (12.6–21.4) 1 | 117.4abde (110.0–125.3) 5 | 140.3abce (130.3–151.1) 10 | 19.5cd (13.0–29.3) 2 |
| Tackler | 36.3 (34.5–38.3) 25 | 14.2cd (12.6–15.9) 7 | 13.2cd (9.8–17.7) 1 | 78.2abe (72.2–84.6) 5 | 82.7abe (75.1–91.0) 10 | 13.6cd (8.3–22.1) 2 |
| Collision Player | 35.8 (32.7–39.2) 10 | N/R | 3.6cde (2.0–3.3) 1 | 55.1bde (50.1–60.6) 5 | 16.5bc (9.4–29.0) 3 | 10.1bc (5.6–1.8) 1 |
| Collision Other |
25.8 (23.1–28.7) 8 |
N/R |
3.3c (1.8–5.9) 1 |
41.5bde (37.2–46.3) 5 |
2.2c (0.6–8.9) 1 |
1.8c (0.5–7.3) 1 |
| Injury Severity | ||||||
| Transient | 114.7 (112.2–117.2) 21 | 70.3bcd (68.2–72.5) 9 | 32.5acde (24.6–42.8) 1 | 485.1abde (467.3–503.5) 4 | 382.5abce (358.2–408.5) 6 | 88.1bcd (61.6–126.0) 1 |
| Missed-Match |
36.1 (34.7–37.5) 25 |
22.6bcde (21.4–23.8) 9 |
210.4acde (188.7–234.6) 1 |
78.4adeb (71.5–86.1) 4 |
86.1abc (78.3–94.7) 9 |
119.0abc (90.5–156.6) 2 |
| Injury period | ||||||
| 1st half | 161.7i (152.4–171.5) 11 | N/R | N/R | 90.2dei (74.5–109.1) 1 | 175.3ci (164.6–186.7) 9 | 211.5c (152.5–293.1) 1 |
| 2nd half | 183.3h (173.5–193.7) 11 | N/R | N/R | 139.5deh (119.7–162.6) 1 | 191.4ch (180.2–203.3) 9 | 223.2c (162.4–306.7) 1 |
CI: Confidence Interval; n = number of studies; N/R = not reported; Significant difference (p < 0.05) than (a) = Professional; (b) = Elite; (c) = Semi-Professional; (d) = Amateur; (e) = Junior; (f) = forwards; (g) = backs; (h) = 1st half; (i) = 2nd half.