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Rugby Season Injury Review
Season Injury review
Most common injuries:
- Groin strains
- Quadricep strains
- Hamstring strains
- Ankle injuries
- Shoulder injuries
The injuries that resulted in the longest time off field and the highest rate of re-injury throughout the season have been the muscular strains. These injuries have been particularly prevalent in players involved with kicking. The ankle injuries that have been seen have usually been rolled ankles which if not rehabbed have a high percentage chance of recurring. Similarly, the shoulder injuries that have been occurring also have a high chance of recurrence. Many players with these injuries have become reliant on taping their injury before training and games as more of a quick fix.
Some additions to the pre-season training sessions could be added for the start of next season in order to try and prevent these injuries from occurring. In order to address the muscle strain type injuries, strengthening the muscles through their full range of movement will be beneficial. Some exercises that could be included for the quadriceps and hamstring muscle groups could be the Nordic hamstring curl and the reverse Nordic. Other exercises that will be effective for reducing injury are plyometrics for both upper and lower body. In addition, improving the players balance through exercises such as hopping and single leg exercises will help to reduce the number of ankle injuries that occur.
Nordic hamstring curl
- If unable to lower fully, the player should lower themselves down as far as they can and then drop onto their hands
- Repeating for 3 sets of 5 repetitions
Reverse Nordic
- Player starts on their knees and lowers themselves back as far down as they can go
- Then the player brings themselves back up to the starting position
Plyometrics Squat jumps
- Players start in the squatting position
- Jumping up as high as they can
- Coming back down into the squatting position
- Repeating 10-15 times
Lateral hopping
- Players start on one leg
- Hopping towards the opposite side and landing on the other foot
- Pausing for a second or 2
- Repeating coming back the other way
- Repeating 10-15 times
Split jumps
- Start standing in a neutral position
- Jumping up and driving one knee in front and the other leg behind
- Coming back to the starting position
- Repeating 10 times each leg
Explosive Pushups
- Starting in the pushup position
- Lowering down to a couple of inches off the ground
- Explosively pushing up so that the hands leave the floor
- Coming back to the starting position and repeating
- Repeating 10-15 times
Single leg balance throwing ball
- Players start standing on one leg facing each other
- While remaining on one leg the players should throw the ball to one another
- Trying to make in slightly challenging for the other person
- Repeating on both legs for 2 minutes
Pregame/ Pre-training dynamic stretching Rugby dynamic stretching routine
- Skip (Variation 1) – Skipping with high knees
- Skip (Variation 2) – Skipping with high knees and kicking out in front
- High knee’s – Running with high knees
- Back flicks – Running and kicking bottom with each step
- Karaoke – Running sideways alternating leg in front and behind
- Leg swing – With a partner – Swinging leg up and down
- Side leg swing – With a partner – Swinging legs sideways
- 8. Leg drive – With a partner – Driving knee up and forward
- Calf press – In prone on elbows – Alternating calf stretches
- Knee rocking – On all fours – Rocking hips from side to side
- Hip flexor/Hamstring – In lunge position – Alternating between hamstring stretch and hip flexor stretch