Rugby is a great, athletic game with the force of football, finesse of soccer and strategy of chess. Ok, maybe not chess, but there is a cerebral part to the game that many people don’t see when they watch.
It is a very physical game that can cause a number of injuries. The most common rugby injuries include:
Concussions – Due to the nature of the contact sport itself, concussions are always a concern due to lack of protections.
Strains and sprains – Mostly due to the back and forth, stop and go method of rugby, strains and sprains are a common occurrence.
Shoulder injuries – The scrum of a rugby game is a forceful place to be and can cause traumatic injuries of the shoulder.
How can you prevent rugby injuries?
Proper technique – Tackling and scrumming are techniques you have to learn to decrease injury risks.
Mouth guard – Always play with a mouth guard and ensure it fits properly and the size is adequate for your mouth. Many times people will think they can skip the mouth guard, but you cannot.
Learn the rules – The rules of rugby are important so that you don’t injure others, but more importantly, you are not injured by being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Proper formation – Scrums are a critical part of rugby and you must learn the proper formations to avoid injury.
Rugby is an awesome sport, so ensure you stay injury free!