Incidence, Severity, and Burden of Ankle Sprains in Male Collegiate Rugby Union Players

Abstract

A high risk of ankle injury is associated with rugby; however, current epidemiological data on rugby-related ankle injuries are limited to specific age and competition levels. This study aimed to clarify the epidemiological characteristics of ankle sprains by longitudinally investigating their incidence, severity, and burden in men's collegiate rugby. Ankle sprains that occurred during rugby matches and training in 128 male collegiate rugby players were investigated across three seasons (2017-2019). The incidence of ankle sprain was 1.21 injuries/1000 player-hours (PHs). The risk of occurrence during matches (18.18 injuries/1000 PHs) was 25.6 times higher than that during training (0.71 injuries/1000 PHs). The mean severity of ankle sprain was 24.7 days. The injury burden tended to be higher in the match season than in the training season. The main injury mechanisms were thought to be related to contact play and stepping (non-contact play). In addition, a high rate of initial sprains was observed in this study. Ankle sprain prevention is important in collegiate rugby players.