Tooby James, Owen Cameron, Sawczuk Thomas, Roe Gregory, Till Kevin, Phillips Gemma, Vishnubala Dane, White Ryan, Rowson Steve, Tucker Ross, Tierney Gregory, Jones Ben
Carnegie Applied Rugby Research (CARR) Centre, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK.
Rugby Football League, Etihad Campus, Manchester, UK.
Sports Med. 2025 Jun 6. doi: 10.1007/s40279-025-02253-y.
There is growing concern that exposure to head acceleration events (HAEs) may be associated with long-term neurological effects.
To quantify the incidence and probability of HAEs during men's professional rugby league match-play on a group and individual basis using instrumented mouthguards (iMGs).
A total of 91 men's professional rugby league players participating in the 2023 Super League season wore iMGs, resulting in the collection of 775 player matches (mean 8.3 matches per player). Incidence of HAEs (rate of HAEs per median playing time) was calculated via generalised linear mixed models. Probability of HAEs (likelihood of experiencing an HAE during a tackle-event) was calculated using an ordinal mixed effects regression model.
The mean incidence of HAEs exceeding 25 g per median playing time ranged from 0.86-1.88 for back positions and 1.83-2.02 for forward positions. The probability of exceeding 25 g during a tackle event was higher for ball-carriers (6.29%, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 5.27-7.58) than tacklers (4.26%, 95% CI 3.48-5.26). Several players exhibited considerably higher incidence and probability than others, e.g. one player averaged 5.02 HAEs exceeding 25 g per median playing time and another had a probability of 20.00% of exceeding 25 g during a tackle event as a ball-carrier and 34.78% as a tackler.
This study quantifies the incidence and probability of HAEs in men's rugby league match-play, advancing our understanding of HAE exposure in men's rugby league. These findings support the development of individualised HAE mitigation strategies targeted at individuals with elevated HAE exposures.
人们越来越担心头部加速事件（HAEs）的暴露可能与长期神经影响有关。
使用仪器化护齿（iMGs），从群体和个体层面量化男子职业橄榄球联盟比赛中HAEs的发生率和概率。
共有91名参加2023年超级联赛赛季的男子职业橄榄球联盟球员佩戴了iMGs，共收集到775场球员比赛（平均每名球员8.3场比赛）。通过广义线性混合模型计算HAEs的发生率（每中位数比赛时间的HAEs发生率）。使用有序混合效应回归模型计算HAEs的概率（在擒抱事件中经历HAE的可能性）。
每中位数比赛时间超过25g的HAEs平均发生率，后卫位置为0.86 - 1.88，前锋位置为1.83 - 2.02。持球者在擒抱事件中超过25g的概率（6.29%，95%置信区间[CI] 5.27 - 7.58）高于擒抱者（4.26%，95% CI 3.48 - 5.26）。一些球员的发生率和概率明显高于其他球员，例如，一名球员每中位数比赛时间平均有5.02次超过2 g的HAEs，另一名球员作为持球者在擒抱事件中超过25g的概率为20.00%，作为擒抱者时为34.78%。
本研究量化了男子橄榄球联盟比赛中HAEs的发生率和概率，增进了我们对男子橄榄球联盟中HAE暴露的理解。这些发现支持针对HAE暴露较高的个体制定个性化的HAE缓解策略。
