The number of concussions reported within professional rugby union has almost tripled over the past three years, according to new figures.
The England Professional Rugby Injury Surveillance Report showed that overall the level of injuries during matches and training remained stable but that the number of concussions reported had increased from 3.9 per 1,000 playing hours in 2011–12 to 10.5 per 1,000 playing hours in 2013–14.
In the last year alone the number of reported concussions rose from 6.7 per 1,000 hours but the expert group that oversees the report put the rise down to greater awareness of the symptoms and historical under-reporting.
The issue of how concussion should be diagnosed, treated and reported has risen up the agenda over the past two years in light of a wider debate about the dangers of leaving affected players on the field of play.
During the 2013-14 season there were 86 reported match concussions and eight training concussions, constituting 12.5% of all injuries. And 13% of players included in the study sustained one or more match concussions with 10 players sustaining two separate concussive events within the season.
The report appears to counter received wisdom that with players getting faster, heavier and stronger there has been an increase in the number of injuries in recent years.
The recent run of injuries in the England Six Nations squad has reignited the debate over whether too much rugby is leading to more injuries than ever before.
“The 2013-14 season report, which follows results from previous years, does not support the theory that there is a rising injury trend in the professional game,” said Simon Kemp, the Rugby Football Union’s chief medical officer. “However the injury risk reported does highlight the need to continue the co-ordinated approach to reduce injury risk by health-care professionals, strength and conditioners, coaches, referees and game administrators.”
Richard Bryan, the rugby director for the Rugby Players’ Association, said the game’s stakeholders have a responsibility to reduce the number and severity of training-ground injuries. “The increase in the incidence of concussions during matches is clearly an area that warrants attention, although it is recognised that greater awareness of concussion is a contributory factor,” he added.
