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A Multi-Modal Approach to Assessing Recovery in Youth Athletes Following Concussion
Published on: September 25, 2014
Shoulder injuries in adolescent rugby players
Ghazal Hodhody1, Tanya A Mackenzie2, Lennard Funk3
1Horton General Hospital, Banbury, Oxfordshire, UK.
Background:
Rugby is a high-intensity contact sport, frequently causing shoulder injuries. Between the ages of 12 years to 18 years, academy and county level players are being selected for professional contracts, making this is a critical stage of their career. The present study aimed to describe the patterns of injury in adolescent rugby players with shoulder injuries.
Methods:
Academy and county level rugby players in the target age group, over a 7-year period, were included in the present study. Data collected included the mechanism of injury, position and level of play, radiology and surgical findings, and recurrence rate at a minimum of 2 years post-surgery.
Results:
One hundred and sixty-nine cases adhered to the inclusion criteria, with most cases involving two or more pathologies in the shoulder (54%). Forwards sustained more shoulder injuries than backs, incurring more labral injuries. By contrast, backs had a higher incidence of bony pathology. The mechanism of injury frequently correlated with player positions. There was a 21% injury recurrence rate, with forwards (7%) and higher level academy players (11%) most likely to suffer a recurrence.
Conclusions:
Shoulder injury patterns in this important group of adolescent contact athletes are complex, with recurrence rates being higher than those in older rugby players.
