Abstract
Rugby league is a full-contact collision sport with an inherent risk of concussion. Wearable instrumented technology was used to observe and characterize the level of exposure to head impacts during game play. To verify the impacts recorded by the x-patch™ with video analysis. Observational case series. The x-patch™ was used on eight men’s semi-professional rugby league players during the 2016 Newcastle Rugby League competition (five forwards and three backs). Game day footage was recorded by a trained videographer using a single camera located at the highest midfield location to verify the impact recorded by the x-patch™. Videographic and accelerometer data were time synchronized. The x-patch™ sensors recorded a total of 779 impacts ≥ 20 g during the games, of which 732 (94.0%) were verified on video. In addition, 817 impacts were identified on video that did not record an impact on the sensors. The number of video-verified impacts ≥ 20 g, per playing hour, was 7.8 for forwards and 4.8 for backs (range = 3.9–19.0). Impacts resulting in a diagnosed concussion had much greater peak linear acceleration (M = 76.1 g, SD = 17.0) than impacts that did not result in a concussion (M = 34.2g, SD = 18.0; Cohen’s d = 2.4). The vast majority (94%) of impacts ≥ 20 g captured by the x-patch™ sensor were video verified in semi-professional rugby league games. The use of a secondary source of information to verify impact events recorded by wearable sensors is beneficial in clarifying game events and exposure levels.
Highlights
Rugby league is a full-contact collision sport with an inherent risk of concussion
Impacts resulting in a diagnosed concussion had much greater peak linear acceleration (M = 76.1 g, Standard deviation (SD) = 17.0) than impacts that did not result in a concussion (M = 34.2g, SD = 18.0; Cohen’s d = 2.4)
The video review revealed 36 direct head impacts (24 to the side of the head, 6 to the front, and 6 to the back) that did not result in any data being recorded on the x-patchTM, in addition to 21 impacts recorded by the x-patchTM that were not verified on video
Summary
Rugby league is a full-contact collision sport with an inherent risk of concussion. Wearable instrumented technology was used to observe and characterize the level of exposure to head impacts during game play.Purpose: To verify the impacts recorded by the x-patchTM with video analysis. Rugby league is a full-contact collision sport with an inherent risk of concussion. Wearable instrumented technology was used to observe and characterize the level of exposure to head impacts during game play. Rugby league is a high-intensity collision sport [32] with a risk of concussive injury for participants [18]. The (2019) 5:9 incidence of medically diagnosed concussions in three clubs in the National Rugby League (NRL) was 14.8 and 8.9 per 1000 player match hours in 2013 [20] and 2014 [19], respectively. The incidence rate of suspected concussions based on use of the “concussion interchange rule” was 24.0 per 1000 NRL player match hours [21]. And quickly identifying a concussion is especially important in the NRL, both for player safety and team strategy. If a player is evaluated for but not diagnosed with a concussion, the team is forced to use one of their 12 “interchanges,” while if the player is diagnosed with a concussion, an interchange is not used
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