Rugby union governing bodies are launching an action plan to reduce head injuries and concussions Rugby news

The Rugby Football Association, the Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Association have launched an action plan aimed at reducing blows to the head and the risk of concussions at elite rugby allied matches and training sessions.

The action plan identifies how science and technology are used to evolve thinking to optimize player well-being and brain health for future, present, and past players.

The expanded focus on head exposure is with ongoing work to improve the standards of stroke management and concussion in professional play and the introduction of a new brain health assessment service for retired elite players.

The area of ​​primary prevention will include the use of “smart mouthguards” during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons, with the RFU requesting that all 13 Premiership clubs use them in an attempt to create new restrictions on contact training – men’s team Harlequins and Bristol Bears Women have already tried technology that allows staff to track head blows in real time.

Secondary prevention will include the application of the World Ragby’s Graduated Return to Play protocol and the review of independent concussion counselors, as well as the use of real-time Hawkeye videos to help assess head injuries in women’s Premier 15s, as well as restart saliva collection in men’s game (and starting in women’s)

And there will be a tertiary prevention scheme for players after the end of their careers, with Advanced BRAIN Health Clinic opening in London later in 2021, allowing the assessment and management of any former player between the ages of 30 and 55 who is concerned about their health brain.

Director of the Medical Service of the Russian Federation, Dr. Simon Kemp told Heavenly sports news: “Based on our experience with Harlequins and mouth guards, there was a great deal of interest from the players and coaching staff just to understand what their training intensity means to them.

“They were very accustomed to understanding current loads, GPS data, and acceleration and deceleration loads. Tooth guards give them an idea of ​​impact and head accelerations.

“Both clubs have reported very positively on the use of this in the club environment, in addition to the value of the research.”

RPA CEO Damien Hopley is convinced the sport is at the sharp end of the concussion and safety research, but acknowledged that some of his constituents are likely to be concerned about the results of a study from Imperial College that found a fifth of elite players show signs of brain abnormalities. .

The Drake Ragby Biomarker study, which included the RFU, surveyed 44 elite players between July 2017 and September 2019, and the results of a second scan of nearly half of those recorded a year after the first revealed that 23 percent showed abnormalities in their brain cells.

Hopley said: “Obviously this is driving the rabbits. Clearly this will be a title that will scare certain players, but we have to take that into account in the circle of what’s going on right now, be careful to look at all available research and make informed answers on the back.

Hopley also believes the current players would be in favor of reducing full contact made in training.

He added: “Based on the conversations we’ve had, I think the player would welcome that. It’s about how we manage it, how we do it appropriately, by marrying the medical records we’ve been talking about.

“Trying to provide reassurance about what contact, clarification and regulation is about is an important step forward.”