Sport: Rugby

General commentary:
An old saying goes "Football is a gentleman's game played by ruffians and rugby is a ruffian's game played by gentlemen". But, fact is, rugby is a popular sport enjoyed by people of all walks of life... and anyone can get hurt playing it.

Common Injuries:

• Hamstring Strain
• Sprained Ankle
• Acromio Clavicular Joint Sprain
• Fracture Dislocation of the Thumb
• Head Injuries: from superficial facial and scalp lacerations, and broken noses to severe concussions
Because of the frequent physical contact, the incidence of collision injury is relatively high with the upper limbs and head most frequently injured – most likely to be acute.
During matches, most injuries will occur when being tackled, whereas training injuries occur during endurance running and contact activities – most likely to be chronic.

How to avoid Injury:
• Wear headgear (mandatory in some leagues)
• Use “warm pants” to avoid hamstring, thigh & groin injury
• Wear a brace or get taped – this can reduce potential injury by 50% in ankles & shoulders
• Train on the wobble board to assist the re-education of the proprioceptive system
• As ever, warm up & cool down well – for a game with this much speed & contact 20 minutes is recommended

Self treatment:

The immediate treatment of any muscle injury calls for the RICE protocol - rest, ice, compression and elevation (use a tea towel between skin & ice).
Depending on severity of injury, rest from sporting activity for between a couple of weeks and 3 months may be appropriate.

When/Why to see a specialist:

As a preventative, qualified Massage Therapy is ideal for helping to maintain flexibility & joint health. What's more, it can be just desserts for sore, fatigued muscles. Less muscle soreness translates as more time in the game.

Surgery is often required for acute injury and the surgeon may immobilise the injured limb with a cast. Once this is removed, some form of protection for the joint is necessary during the rehab period. A trained Massage Therapist can assist in stimulating de-stabilized muscle groups that will suffer from atrophy post casting.

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