, et al. Instrumented mouthguards in elite-level men’s and women’s rugby union: characterising tackle-based head acceleration events.
You can find the full study here
Tell us more about yourself and the author team.
I (James Woodward) am a PhD researcher in Biomechanics at Ulster University, Belfast, Northern Ireland. My research focuses on head acceleration biomechanics in women’s rugby union. My research interests also lie in exploring sociological factors, such as gender, related to injury risk and outcomes. The co-authors, James Tooby, Ross Tucker, Éanna Falvey, Danielle Salmon, Lindsay Starling and Gregory Tierney, form a research group with diverse backgrounds and roles within rugby union. James Tooby is a PhD researcher at Leeds Beckett University who specializes in instrumented mouthguard analysis and has pioneered approaches to device syncing to live footage. Ross Tucker, Éanna Falvey and Lindsay Starling are experienced and established interdisciplinary researchers who, alongside their roles within World Rugby, have contributed to a vast breadth of knowledge surrounding head injury risk and mitigation in rugby codes. Similarly, Gregory Tierney is a researcher and senior lecturer in Mechanical Engineering with a vast depth of experience in wearable sensor technology analysis and injury risk in rugby codes. Danielle Salmon is a researcher with expertise in neck strength and women’s rugby, with a depth of experience across amateur and international women’s rugby competitions. The team’s strengths include a wide range of research experience and rugby experience (coaching, playing, refereeing, sports science, sports medicine).
What is the story behind your study?
As a result of the introduction of microtechnology, such as instrumented mouthguards, into rugby union, there has been a growing need to understand the role of head accelerations in head injury aetiology. Head acceleration events, caused by either direct or inertial head loading, can result in head injuries such as concussions. Understanding how head acceleration events can occur is vital to exploring more proactive approaches to reducing head injury risk in rugby codes. This study aimed to explore how technical elements such as tackle height and the number of tacklers can play a role in head acceleration exposure, as these are key focus points for current law trials in rugby union.
In your own words, what did you find?
The results of our study highlight the importance of rugby tackles made at the torso of the ball carrier due to an overall lower propensity ratio for both male and female tacklers and ball carriers. Torso contact could be a focus of future law modifications in rugby union to reduce the risk of high-magnitude head acceleration events.
What was the main challenge you faced in your study?
Player mouthguard-wearing and buy-in from clubs were strengths and challenges in this study. Given that the mouthguards themselves were voluntary, it was difficult at times to encourage players to use them. We made sure to work closely with the clubs and, in some instances, travel with the players in their competitions to facilitate mouthguard usage.
If there is one take-home message from your study, what would that be?
The importance of prioritizing contact at the torso of the ball carrier to mitigate all player (male and female, tackler and ball carrier) exposure to high magnitude head accelerations in rugby union.