Background and purpose of research: The number of individuals playing rugby union is increasing every year particularly amongst adolescence at a school level. With the increase in participation an increase in injuries arises. The purpose of this study was to document the lower limb injuries previously sustained in the 2009 rugby season as well as the injuries sustained over a six week period in 2010 and to identify the risk factors associated with these injuries.
Method: A prospective cohort design was used. Sixty-five participants from three high schools on the West Rand completed an injury questionnaire and participated in pre-season testing of lower limb muscle length, muscle strength and balance. Lower limb injuries were documented throughout the season. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the data and a univariate analysis was done to determine if there were any associations between various risk factors and sustaining an injury.
Results: Six lower limb injuries were documented in 2010. Knee and ankle injuries accounted for 25 out of the 35 (71%) injuries sustained over the 2009 and 2010 rugby seasons. The risk factors for lower limb injuries included good flexibility of the hamstring muscle group and logistic regression also showed an association between a right lower limb injury and right sided muscle strength of the ankle dorsiflexors (p=0.04) and knee extensors (p=0.05).
Conclusion: The risk factors associated with these lower limb injuries were good flexibility of the hamstring muscle group as well as right sided quadriceps and tibialis anterior muscle strength.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/12544 |
| Date | 18 March 2013 |
| Creators | Griffiths, Noelle |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
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