Helping to reduce the negative health impacts of rugby

Rugby Union is a popular contact sport played by 7.7 million players in 129 countries. About 160,000 New Zealanders play every season, including around 25,000 high school students. Because rugby involves a lot of physical contact, players face a higher risk of injuries compared to non-contact sports.

One of the most common rugby injuries is concussion, with rates ranging from 0.4 to 46 concussions per 1000 playing hours. Acute symptoms of concussion include headache, dizziness, nausea, vision disturbances and cognitive problems. These symptoms can also interact, making them more intense or pronounced.

To understand concussions better, Dr Nick Draper and his team are looking closely at how players collide during the game, with a special focus on girls who play rugby. They are also testing special headgear approved by World Rugby to see if it can reduce the impact of collisions and lower the risk of injury. This research is crucial to improve understanding of concussion injuries in contact sports, especially rugby, and find ways to make playing safer.