An exploratory study into the relationship between playing at home or away and concussion

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Neurology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Concussion is a significant injury in rugby union.
• Travel demands in sports may influence injury risk and outcomes.
• Understanding travel effects is crucial for player safety across different rugby levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of home versus away game travel on concussion risk in rugby union.
• To analyze concussion incidence and symptomology across school, university, and professional rugby.
• To identify potential differences in recovery patterns related to travel for away fixtures.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of concussion surveillance data.
• Prospective data collection via surveys for potential concussions.
• Inclusion of data from school (344 matches), university (6 matches), and professional (64 matches) rugby teams.

Main Results:

• Increased concussion prevalence in away matches for school (p=0.02) and university (p<0.05) rugby.
• Professional rugby players showed significantly longer recovery times (p<0.01) for away games.
• Away fixtures in professional rugby were associated with more initial symptoms (p<0.01) and greater severity at 48 hours (p<0.05).

Conclusions:

• Concussion risk is elevated for school and university rugby players during away games.
• Professional rugby players experience heightened symptom severity and prolonged recovery after away fixtures.
• Travel-related factors warrant consideration in concussion management strategies for rugby union.