If you have experienced an injury while playing rugby or any other contact sports, our chiropractors in Dandenong can help.
Rugby is a high impact, fast paced and injury prone sport.
A university study found that for every 1000 hours of international rugby, there are 58 injuries that occur.
This differs significantly from other sports such as cricket with just 2.8 injuries per 1000 hours; of which the injuries are less severe.
The risk of injury associated with rugby is best seen in two common elements of the game: the scrummage and tackling. Both of which generate an average force of 166kg, placing stress throughout the body including the neck, upper back, shoulders, hips and knees.
Injuries on the rugby field occur in a similar manner as other sports, being categorised as either due to overuse or trauma.
Common traumatic injuries seen with rugby players are often the result of heavy tackles (including spear tackles), high speed collisions with other players and poor scrummage positioning, structure and initiation.
Roughly half of injuries occur while a player is being tackled or tackling.
Overuse injuries differ from traumatic injuries, because they progress and worsen overtime due to poor biomechanics, fatigue and stress which builds cumulatively.
This is commonly seen with strains and sprains, where a series of acute microtraumas eventually weaken and make an area of the body susceptible to injury. An example that we commonly see in our practice are low back (lumbopelvic spine) injuries due to repetitive compression through the spine during a scrummage.
While there may be no pain or discomfort immediately after each individual scrummage, overtime, the stress placed upon the body progresses and builds as the ability of the spine to adapt the crushing force.
When a structural shift within the spine is present, the ability for the body to function correctly both physically and neurologically is reduced.
Ultimately, structure determines function.
A structural shift within the spine can result in abnormal biomechanical function; distorting correct movement patterns, placing abnormal strain on surrounding musculature and influencing the correct movement of joints.
Chiropractic is becoming more and more common as a requirement for many professional sporting teams to help optimise performance and function- in addition to reducing the prevalence of injuries.
At Sims & Finn we enjoy helping athletes and sportspeople function to their fullest potential to optimise their sporting abilities.
For our athletic practice members, we strongly support the notion that prevention is better than cure.
Our sports chiropractors recognise that structure determines function. Therefore, our focus is on neuro-structural correction of the spine to ensure that from both a structural musculoskeletal and neurological perspective, you are functioning to your optimal ability.
We ensure this by using pre and post structural shift detection, assessing you thoroughly to determine if there is the presence of a structural shift in your spine which can result in secondary conditions (symptoms: such as tightness, pain, stiffness, etc).
If you would like to learn more about how chiropractic can enhance your performance and function, you can book appointment by either going to our website or calling one of the members of our friendly staff.
52 Stud Road, Dandenong 3175
@simsfinnchiropractic
References:
- Moore, I. S., Ranson, C., & Mathema, P. (2015). Injury Risk in International Rugby Union: Three-Year Injury Surveillance of the Welsh National Team. Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine, 3(7), 2325967115596194. https://doi.org/10.1177/2325967115596194
- Bleakley, C., Tully, M., & O’Connor, S. (2011). Epidemiology of adolescent rugby injuries: a systematic review. Journal of athletic training, 46(5), 555–565. https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-46.5.555