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Rugby and Shoulder Trauma: A Systematic Review
R Papalia1, A Tecame1, G Torre1
1Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Via Alvaro del Portillo 200, Rome, Italy.
Translational Medicine @ Unisa
|November 5, 2015
Summary
Shoulder injuries are common in rugby due to tackles. Bankart lesions, SLAP tears, and rotator cuff tears are frequent, with surgical repair showing effectiveness for rugby players.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Rugby involves frequent high-impact collisions, leading to a high incidence of shoulder injuries.
- Understanding the epidemiology and treatment of these injuries is crucial for player health and performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the epidemiology, types of lesions, treatment, risk factors, and return-to-sport criteria for shoulder injuries in rugby players.
- To synthesize current evidence on shoulder trauma in rugby.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of studies from PubMed (Medline), EMBASE, and Cochrane Library.
- Data extraction on injury incidence, lesion types, mechanisms, risk factors, and return to sport.
Main Results:
- Tackles are the primary cause of shoulder trauma (50-85%).
- Common injuries include Bankart lesions, Superior Labral tear from Anterior to Posterior (SLAP tears), anterior dislocations, and rotator cuff tears.
- Surgical interventions, including arthroscopic repair, demonstrate improved clinical outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Shoulder injuries are prevalent in rugby, with tackles being the main mechanism.
- Bankart lesions, SLAP tears, and rotator cuff injuries require effective surgical management.
- Further high-quality research is needed to enhance evidence levels for treatment and return-to-sport protocols.
