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Updated: Aug 8, 2025
A Neuroscientific Approach to the Examination of Concussions in Student-Athletes
Published on: December 8, 2014
An exploratory study into the relationship between playing at home or away and concussion
Nathan Howarth1,2, Adam J White2, John Batten1,3
1Faculty of Health and Life Science, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK.
Primary Objective:
To investigate the effect of home and away game travel on risk of concussion across different levels of rugby union.
Research Design:
Exploration study across school, university, and professional rugby teams.
Methods And Procedures:
Retrospective analysis of concussion incidence and symptomology of surveillance data and prospective data collection for potential concussions via surveys. Data was collected from school rugby teams (n = 344 matches, over 2 years), a university rugby (n = 6 matches), and a professional rugby team (n = 64 matches, over two seasons).
Main Outcomes And Results:
School level rugby had an increased prevalence of concussions in away matches (p = 0.02). Likewise, there was a significant increase (p < 0.05) in concussions at away matches in university rugby. In addition, the professional rug by team had significant differences in recovery times and symptoms with away fixtures, including longer recovery times (p < 0.01), more initial symptoms (p < 0.01), as well as greater and more severe symptoms at 48 hours (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
This research highlights an increased prevalence of concussion in school and university-aged rugby players away from home, as well as increased symptoms, symptom severity, and recovery times in professional rugby players.
