Incidence and mean severity of match injuries as a function of playing position and type of injury
| Match injuries | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Injury type | Incidence, injuries/1000 player-hours (95% CI) | Mean severity, days (95% CI) | |||||
| Main group | Subgroup | Forwards | Backs | All players | Forwards | Backs | All players |
| Bone | All injuries | 4.9 (2.0 to 11.7) | 5.6 (2.3 to 13.4) | 5.2 (2.8 to 9.7) | 14.8 (0 to 30.2) | 31.8 (15.2 to 48.4) | 23.3 (11.3 to 35.3) |
| Fracture | 4.9 (2.0 to 11.7) | 5.6 (2.3 to 13.4) | 5.2 (2.8 to 9.7) | 14.8 (0 to 30.2) | 31.8 (15.2 to 48.4) | 23.3 (11.3 to 35.3) | |
| Other bone injuries | 0.0 (–) | 0.0 (–) | 0.0 (–) | – | – | – | |
| Joint (non-bone)/ligament | All injuries | 24.4 (16.5 to 36.1) | 25.7 (17.1 to 38.6) | 25.0 (18.8 to 33.2) | 43.3 (12.7 to 73.9) | 49.1 (18.7 to 79.6) | 46.1 (24.8 to 67.5) |
| Dislocation/subluxation | 2.0 (0.5 to 7.8) | 4.5 (1.7 to 11.9) | 3.1 (1.4 to 7.0) | 102.5 (0.4 to 23.4) | 46.0 (0 to 125.1) | 64.8 (0 to 137.9) | |
| Sprain/ligament | 21.5 (14.1 g 32.6) | 17.9 (10.9 to 29.1) | 19.8 (14.4 to 27.2) | 37.9 (7.8 to 68.0) | 41.5 (11.5 to 71.5) | 39.4 (18.2 to 60.6) | |
| Lesion of meniscus/cartilage/disc | 1.0 (0.1 to 6.9) | 3.3 (1.1 to 10.4) | 2.1 (0.8 to 5.6) | (+) | 94.0 (0 to 253.0) | 94.0 (0 to 253.0)(+) | |
| Muscle/tendon | All injuries | 34.2 (24.5 to 47.6) | 43.5 (31.8 to 59.6) | 38.5 (30.7 to 48.4) | 12.2 (7.3 to 17.1) | 18.8 (10.7 to 26.9) | 15.7 (10.8 to 20.5) |
| Muscle rupture/tear/strain/cramp | 19.5 (12.6 to 30.3) | 20.1 (12.7 to 31.9) | 19.8 (14.4 to 27.2) | 15.4 (7.7 to 23.0) | 27.2 (16.3 to 38.1) | 20.9 (14.2 to 27.7) | |
| Tendon rupture/tendinopathy/ bursitis | 1.0 (0.1 to 6.9) | 4.5 (1.7 to 11.9) | 2.6 (1.1 to 6.3) | 4.0 (*) | 35.8 (0 to 92.2) | 29.4 (0 to 74.8) | |
| Haematoma/contusion/bruise | 13.7 (8.1 to 23.1) | 19.0 (11.8 to 30.5) | 16.1 (11.4 to 23.0) | 8.3 (3.8 to 12.8) | 5.9 (3.5 to 8.4) | 7.0 (4.6 to 9.4) | |
| Skin | All injuries | 1.0 (0.1 to 6.9) | 2.2 (0.6 to 8.9) | 1.6 (0.5 to 4.8) | 3.0 (*) | 16.0 (8.2 to 23.8) | 11.7 (2.0 to 21.3) |
| Abrasion | 0.0 (–) | 0.0 (–) | 0.0 (–) | – | – | – | |
| Laceration | 1.0 (0.1 to 6.9) | 2.2 (0.6 to 8.9) | 1.6 (0.5 to 4.8) | 3.0 (*) | 16.0 (8.2 to 23.8) | 11.7 (2.0 to 21.3) | |
| Brain/spinal cord/PNS | All injuries | 9.8 (5.3 to 18.2) | 6.7 (3.0 to 14.9) | 8.3 (5.1 to 13.6) | 11.9 (0.4 to 23.4) | 6.2 (4.2 to 8.2) | 9.8 (2.6 to 16.9) |
| Concussion | 8.8 (4.6 to 16.9) | 6.7 (3.0 to 14.9) | 7.8 (4.7 to 13.0) | 12.8 (0.1 to 25.4) | 6.2 (4.2 to 8.2) | 10.1 (2.5 to 17.8) | |
| Structural brain injury | 0.0 (–) | 0.0 (–) | 0.0 (–) | – | – | – | |
| Spinal cord compression/ transection | 0.0 (–) | 0.0 (–) | 0.0 (–) | – | – | – | |
| Nerve injury | 1.0 (0.1 to 6.9) | 0.0 (–) | 0.5 (0.1 to 3.7) | 4.0 (*) | – | 4.0 (*) | |
| Other | All injuries | 4.9 (2.0 to 11.7) | 3.3 (1.1 to 10.4) | 4.2 (2.1 to 8.3) | 24.8 (0 to 54.2) | 8.0 (0 to 16.8) | 18.5 (0 to 37.3) |
| Dental | 0.0 (–) | 0.0 (–) | 0.0 (–) | – | – | – | |
| Visceral | 0.0 (–) | 0.0 (–) | 0.0 (–) | – | – | – | |
| Other injuries | 4.9 (2.0 to 11.7) | 3.3 (1.1 to 10.4) | 4.2 (2.1 to 8.3) | 24.8 (0 to 54.2) | 8.0 (0 to 16.8) | 18.5 (0 to 37.3) | |
| Injury type not identified | 5.9 (2.6 to 13.0) | 6.7 (3.0 to 14.9) | 6.3 (3.5 to 11.0) | 6.0 (4.0 to 8.0) | 13.8 (0 to 32.8) | 9.9 (0.6 to 19.3) | |
| All injury types | 85.0 (68.9 to 104.8) | 93.8 (75.7 to 116.1) | 89.1 (76.7 to 103.5) | 21.2 (11.8 to 30.6) | 26.2 (16.5 to 35.9) | 23.6 (16.9 to 30.4) | |
↵* Only one result in category.
+One career-ending injury not included in calculation.
PNS, peripheral nervous system;