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Int J Sports Med 2022; 43(10): 889-894
DOI: 10.1055/a-1810-6509
Training & Testing

Head Injury Assessment in the Elite Level Rugby Union in Japan: Review of 3 Seasons

Takuya Tajima
1   Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Department of Medicine of Sensory and Motor Organs, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
2   Medical control committee, Japan Rugby Top League, Tokyo, Japan
,
Osamu Ota
3   Japan Rugby Top League, Japan Rugby Football Union, Tokyo, Japan
,
Masataka Nagayama
4   Department of Medicine for Orthopaedics and Motor Organ, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
2   Medical control committee, Japan Rugby Top League, Tokyo, Japan
,
Masayasu Takahashi
5   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Konan Medical center, Kobe, Japan
2   Medical control committee, Japan Rugby Top League, Tokyo, Japan
,
Mutsuo Yamada
6   Injury prevention & Research unit, Japan Rugby Football Union, Tokyo, Japan
7   Faculty of Health and Sports Sciences, Ryutsu Keizai University, Ryugasaki, Japan
,
Nobuo Ishiyama
8   Faculty of Medical Science, Nippon Sport Science University, Setagaya-ku, Japan
2   Medical control committee, Japan Rugby Top League, Tokyo, Japan
,
Ichiro Yoshida
2   Medical control committee, Japan Rugby Top League, Tokyo, Japan
,
Masahiro Takemura
9   Faculty of Health and Sports Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
2   Medical control committee, Japan Rugby Top League, Tokyo, Japan
,
Kenji Hara
10   Department of Sports Medicine and Science, Faculty of Human Health, Kurume University, Kurume, Japan
2   Medical control committee, Japan Rugby Top League, Tokyo, Japan
,
Takao Akama
11   Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan
2   Medical control committee, Japan Rugby Top League, Tokyo, Japan
,
Norio Mitsumori
12   Department of Surgery, Jikei University School of Medicine, Minato-ku, Japan
2   Medical control committee, Japan Rugby Top League, Tokyo, Japan
,
Junichiro Higashihara
13   Gynecology, Higashihara clinic, Fukuoka, Japan
2   Medical control committee, Japan Rugby Top League, Tokyo, Japan
,
Yukimasa Toyama
14   Orthopaedic surgery, Toyama Orthopaedic clinic, Osaka, Japan
2   Medical control committee, Japan Rugby Top League, Tokyo, Japan
,
Masahiro Furuya
15   Orthopaedic Surgery, Furuya Orhopaedic clinic, Yokohama, Japan
2   Medical control committee, Japan Rugby Top League, Tokyo, Japan
,
Etsuo Chosa
1   Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Department of Medicine of Sensory and Motor Organs, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
,
Akihiko Nakamura
16   Department of Surgery, Nakamura Surgery and Pediatrics clinic, Tokyo, Japan
2   Medical control committee, Japan Rugby Top League, Tokyo, Japan
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Abstract

Head Injury Assessment (HIA) is the screening tool for head injury during a rugby game. The purpose of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of HIA in the Japan Rugby Top League (JRTL). The incidences of HIA, defined concussion (per 1,000 player-hours) and repeated concussions were evaluated in three seasons (2016-17, 2017–18, 2018–19; total 360 games). The HIA incidence rates were 12.7 (95% confidence interval 9.5–15.9), 20.8 (16.8–24.9), and 25.0 (20.5–29.5) in each season. HIA-1 criteria 2, which is applied for suspected concussion cases, was performed for 46 cases in the 2016–17 season, 81 cases in the 2017–18 season, and 88 cases in the 2018–19 season. The concussion incidence rates were significantly greater in the 2017–18 season (9.6/1000 player-hours, 95% confidence interval 6.8–12.4) and the 2018–19 season (14.4, 11–17.8) compared to the 2016–17 season (4.8, 2.8–6.8). The number of repeated concussion cases in the same season was 1 in the 2016–17 season and 4 in both the 2017–18 and 2018–19 seasons. This study confirmed significantly higher HIA and concussion incidence rates over time. Although the HIA system might have been established in the three seasons in JRTL, comprehensive management needs to be improved to prevent repeated concussions.

Key words

rugby football - head injury assessment - concussion - graduated return to play


Publication History

Received: 10 March 2021

Accepted: 11 March 2022

Article published online:
07 June 2022

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