Research Fellow University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Department of Neurological Surgery
Disclosure(s):
Ben Carnovale: No financial relationships to disclose
Introduction: Rugby is a sport of rising popularity in the United States, with contact levels mirroring that of American football. Much study surrounds American football’s association with spinal injuries, and prevention strategies for players. Blocking and tackling techniques are heavily critiqued from young amateurs to professionals, in aims to keep players safe. However, the national incidence of spinal injuries due to rugby, with its unique style of play yet similar physicality, has yet to be determined.
Methods: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) was queried between 2004-2023 for injuries using the rugby product code, and from the lower trunk, upper trunk, and neck body part codes. Narratives were screened for only spinal and paraspinal injuries sustained while playing rugby, and to extract specific diagnoses. Injuries extracted were spinal fracture, disc herniation, muscular strain, contusion, and unspecified back pain. Weighted survey analysis in R was used to construct national estimates and 95% confidence intervals.
Results: A total of 32 narratives yielded a national estimate of 766 (95%CI 422-1110) spinal and paraspinal injuries from rugby over the twenty-year period. Of the cases, an estimated 133 (95% CI 0-277) spinal fractures, 208 (95%CI 12-405) contusions, 165 (95%CI 0-488) strains, 15 (95%CI 0-44) disc herniations, and 245 (95%CI 74-417) unspecified back pain diagnoses were noted. Most injured were male (73.9%), and the average age at the time of injury was 20.5 years.
Conclusion : The low incidence of spinal and paraspinal injuries due to rugby over the twenty year period of data collected for this study indicates that despite its high contact levels, rugby may be relatively safe for the spine.
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