In-competition injury epidemiology and associated injury risk factors among South African junior provincial rugby players: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies in rugby are vast for senior elite professional players, though the same cannot be said for junior elite professional players, thus limiting stakeholders' ability to formulate effective injury risk management strategies for this population. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the epidemiology, clinical characteristics and associated injury risk factors among elite male junior provincial rugby players in South Africa. METHODS: Training and match play injury data was prospectively collected during a 10 week Under-21 (u21) and a 3 week Under-19 (u19) in-competition period. Injury prevalence (% of injured participants), incidence (injuries/1000hrs), clinical characteristics (anatomical region, pathology type, injury severity and injury event) and risk factors associated with injury (baseline injury, age and playing position) formed part of the primary outcomes of the study. RESULTS: U21 male participants (45.38/1000hrs) had a higher injury incidence than u19 male participants (42.20/1000hrs). Injuries to the lower limb were most common for both u19 (50.6%) and u21 (51.1%) participants. Muscle/tendon injuries (50.8%) occurred most often. CONCLUSION: Overall u21 male participants had a higher injury prevalence and incidence than u19 male participants during the in-competition period. Injuries to the lower limb and muscle/tendon type injuries were mostly effected.