Rugby is a fast-paced game and included running and endurance as well as high levels of contact and tackling. With this there comes the risk of injuries which can be minor or quite serious so it is important to identify what injury you have, what treatment should be applied and how to prevent them in the future.
Common Rugby Injuries
There are many types of injuries that can occur as a result of play rugby with some being visible and some being internal. It is important to identify what type of injury you have so it can be treated correctly by a professional.
Hamstring Injury – Rugby involves a significant amount of running and pressure on the legs. With this added strain, hamstring injuries are very common and can be caused by already weak hamstring muscles, exhausted muscles or when the muscles have not had a proper warm up.
Hamstring injuries can range in severity. At the bottom of the spectrum is a mild strain on the hamstring where some of the muscle fibres feel tight and painful when the muscle is moved. The next in severity is more painful and can show swelling around the area. The worst type of hamstring injury is known as a stabbing pain and causes the inability to walk without severe pain due to a tear in the muscle. Swelling would be apparent in this case as well.
Head Injury – There are many types of head injuries from concussion to deep cuts. Extremely serious head injuries would be compression injuries or fractures of the skull. With this the brain can be compressed and be put under lots of pressure, ultimately leading to brain damage. Concussions are a common head injury in rugby and occur when the head is hit with force, and the brain moves around inside the skull. This can cause forgetfulness, blurred vision, headaches, dizziness, and confusion.
Shoulder Injury – There are a range of shoulder injuries that can range from be minor or cause unbearable pain. A minor shoulder injury would include soft tissue bruising which occurs from small blows to the shoulder and it is a short-term injury. A sprain or tear to the rotator cuff can be caused by forcing the arm downwards in a fall or tackle. One of the most common shoulder injuries is the Acromioclavicular joint sprain which is created by falling onto the shoulder and rupturing the ligaments causing a sprain.
Treatment of Rugby Injuries
The treatment of rugby injuries should be taken seriously and examinations from a doctor is key in locating and identifying the type of injury it is. Without this you may make the injury worse or disrupt the healing process by taking it into your own hands.
Treatment of a hamstring injury – Hamstring injuries must be examined by a professional doctor to grade the severity. Until then the muscle should be compressed and rested whilst ice is applied. Crutches should probably be used to prevent any need to put pressure on the muscle. Over time rehabilitation should start but it is best to take it slow as you do not want to end up making the injury worse and then lengthening the healing time.
Treatment of a head injury – Different types of head injuries need different treatments to be sure they are taken care of correctly. For lacerations and deep cuts on the head, you should see the emergency department straight away where they will most likely clean out the area and stitch up the injury. For concussion, the player should be taken of the pitch and rested with an icepack to clear the symptoms and have the head assessed as soon as possible. For a skull fracture or compression, the player should be rushed to the hospital immediately to limit the amount of time with the pressure, hopefully saving the brain from brain damage.
Treatment of a shoulder injury – Ice can be applied to shoulder injuries in periodic sessions to reduce any swelling and pain but overall physiotherapists should be the first on call to assess the type of shoulder injury it is and the best way to handle it. Rest is one of the best ways to allow the injury to heal as using it too much could disrupt the healing process and make the injury worse.
Prevention of Rugby injuries
Prevention is key and it gives you a way to take into your own hands the health of your muscles and body and the best ways to take care of them.
Prevention of a hamstring injury – There are multiple ways to prevent a hamstring injury whilst playing rugby. Warming up before all matches and training is key so the muscles are slowly stretched out, rather than being abruptly pulled and torn in a game or training. Ice baths after games can also be a way to repair muscles but this can be quite tormenting to do.
Prevention of head injuries – It is hard to completely prevent head injuries due to the nature of the sport but there are ways to limit the impact. protective head gear and face guards absorb the force of impact and lowers the amount of head skin injuries like lacerations.
Prevention of shoulder injuries – Shoulder supports are a good way to reinforce the ligaments and therefore limit the amount of injuries. Despite this rugby will always have shoulder injuries due to the amount of shoulder collisions.