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The propensity of non-concussive and concussive head contacts during elite-level women's rugby league matches: a prospective analysis of over 14,000 tackle events

  • Mily Spiegelhalter
    Correspondence
    Corresponding author.
    Affiliations
    Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, United Kingdom

    Leeds Rhinos Rugby League Club, Leeds, United Kingdom

    England Performance Unit, Rugby Football League, Leeds, United Kingdom
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  • Sean Scantlebury
    Affiliations
    Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, United Kingdom

    England Performance Unit, Rugby Football League, Leeds, United Kingdom
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  • Omar Heyward
    Affiliations
    Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, United Kingdom

    Leeds Rhinos Rugby League Club, Leeds, United Kingdom

    Rugby Football Union, Twickenham, United Kingdom
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  • Sharief Hendricks
    Affiliations
    Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, United Kingdom

    Division of Physiological Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, the University of Cape Town and the Sports Science Institute of South Africa, Cape Town, South Africa
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  • Cloe Cummins
    Affiliations
    Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, United Kingdom

    School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia

    National Rugby League, Australia
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  • Andrew J. Gardner
    Affiliations
    Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, United Kingdom

    Sydney School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
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  • Matt Halkier
    Affiliations
    Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, United Kingdom

    England Performance Unit, Rugby Football League, Leeds, United Kingdom
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  • Shreya McLeod
    Affiliations
    School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine, and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia

    Discipline of Physiotherapy, School of Allied Health, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, Australia
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  • Gemma Phillips
    Affiliations
    Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, United Kingdom

    England Performance Unit, Rugby Football League, Leeds, United Kingdom

    Hull Kingston Rovers, Hull, United Kingdom
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  • Cameron Owen
    Affiliations
    Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, United Kingdom

    England Performance Unit, Rugby Football League, Leeds, United Kingdom

    British Swimming, Loughborough, United Kingdom
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  • Ben Jones
    Affiliations
    Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, United Kingdom

    Leeds Rhinos Rugby League Club, Leeds, United Kingdom

    England Performance Unit, Rugby Football League, Leeds, United Kingdom

    Division of Physiological Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, the University of Cape Town and the Sports Science Institute of South Africa, Cape Town, South Africa

    School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
    Search for articles by this author

      Abstract

      Objectives

      Identify the frequency, propensity, and factors related to tackle events which result in contact with the head in elite-level women's rugby league.

      Design

      Prospective video analysis study.

      Methods

      Video footage from 59 Women's Super League matches were analysed (n = 14,378 tackle events). All tackle events were coded as no head contact or head contact. Other independent variables included: area contacting head, impacted player, concussion outcome, penalty outcome, round of competition, time in match and team standard.

      Results

      There were 83.0 ± 20.0 (propensity 304.0 / 1000 tackle events) head contacts per match. The propensity of head contact was significantly greater for the tackler than ball-carrier (178.5 vs. 125.7 / 1000 tackle events; Incident Rate Ratio [IRR] 1.42, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.34 to 1.50). Head contacts occurring from an arm, shoulder, and head occurred significantly more than any other contact type. The propensity of concussions was 2.7 / 1000 head contacts. There was no significant influence of team standard or time in match on the propensity of head contacts.

      Conclusion

      The observed head contacts can inform interventions, primarily focusing on the tackler not contacting the ball-carrier's head. The tacklers head should also be appropriately positioned to avoid contact with the ball-carriers knee (highest propensity for concussion). The findings are consistent with other research in men's rugby. Law modifications and/or enforcement (reducing the number of un-penalised head contacts), concurrent with coaching interventions (optimising head placement or reducing the head being contacted) may help minimise head contact risk factors for women's rugby league.

      Keywords

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