Rugby
Among all contact sports, traditional rugby is the one with the most significant physical impact force on players. All movements, including passing, catching, tackling and grounding, involve full contact with other players. Almost every muscle is used, leading to a wide range of sports injuries from head to toe.
Tackling injuries
Defensive tactics such as shoulder tackling and pulling are common in rugby and generate more force than those used in football or basketball. For rugby players, upper limb injuries tend to be the most severe, as players often land on or collide with each other while competing for the ball. These impacts can lead to shoulder dislocations, rotator cuff or ligament tears, soft tissue damage and subacromial impingement (compression of the tendons of the rotator cuff).
Passing the ball with speed requires strong engagement of the lower back muscles. Additionally, players are often struck in the lower limbs during interceptions, which can injure the lower back or pelvic bones. Movements such as jumping, twisting, rotating and diving to defend the ball can also result in tears to the anterior cruciate ligament, meniscus or lateral collateral ligament in the ankle.
Falls and wrist bone fractures
When rugby players get knocked down, they often fall on an outstretched hand, causing wrist bone fractures or wrist dislocations. This kind of injury also happens to football or basketball players.
Head and neck injuries
Rugby involves intense physical contact, including actions that include grabbing the head or neck and forcefully tackling opponents to prevent them from grounding the ball. These high-impact collisions, especially when players dive at high speed, can result in head contusions or concussions, which in severe cases may lead to cerebral hyperaemia (increased blood flow in the brain) and potentially life-threatening shock.
Injuries to the cervical spine (neck region) are particularly serious. When the neck is compressed or forced into extreme positions during tackles, it can lead to buckling of the cervical spine, a mechanism now recognised as a major cause of spinal injury in rugby. This can result in severe pain in the head and neck, and if nerves around the injury site are compressed, it may impair limb mobility or even cause paralysis.