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Updated: Jan 6, 2026
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In Vivo Protocol of Controlled Subconcussive Head Impacts for the Validation of Field Study Data
Published on: April 18, 2019
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Inertial Head Accelerations in Front-On, One-on-One Tackles in Professional Women Rugby League Players.
Georgia Page1, Andrew J Gardner1,2, Suzanne J Snodgrass3
1School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine, and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)
|December 4, 2025
Summary
Professional women rugby league players experience head impacts during tackles. Tackle type and tackler speed influence head acceleration, with direct body contact increasing risk.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Biomechanics
- Rugby League
Background:
- Rugby league tackles are a significant cause of head injuries.
- Limited research exists on head kinematics during tackles in professional women's rugby league.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify predictors of head kinematics for both ball carriers and tacklers.
- Investigate factors influencing inertial head kinematics in professional women rugby league players during tackles.
Main Methods:
- Nineteen professional women rugby league players participated.
- Three-dimensional optoelectronic motion capture system used to record head kinematics and speed.
- Players performed self-selected 'smother' and 'dominant' tackles.
Main Results:
- Tackle type and tackler speed significantly predicted peak head accelerations (linear and angular) for both players.
- Higher accelerations occurred when tackler's head contacted the ball carrier's body.
- Whiplash-like mechanics in ball carriers correlated with higher peak accelerations.
Conclusions:
- Tacklers should position heads outside the ball carrier's body to minimize direct contact and reduce head kinematics.
- Coaches can use whiplash-like mechanics as a cue to coach better bracing techniques.
- Reducing tackle height may benefit ball carriers but could increase tackler impact.
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