Key result
Male rugby-7s players had an estimated mean injury incidence rate of 108.5/1000 player-hours compared to 76.1/1000 player-hours for females, with no statistically significant difference.
Why the study?
To describe the current rugby-7s injury epidemiological literature by examining injury data from both sexes, all levels of play, and their associated risk factors.
Meta-Analysis (n=20)
Absolute Event Rate: 108.5% vs 76.1%
This meta-analysis establishes baseline injury incidence rates and severity for male and female rugby-7s players, highlighting the need for targeted injury prevention strategies.
High rugby-7s injury rates support targeted monitoring of fatigue and prior injury; leaves open whether prevention strategies reduce burden in prospective trials.
This review and meta-analysis aimed to describe the current rugby-7s injury epidemiological literature by examining injury data from both sexes, all levels of play, and their associated risk factors. Studies published up until March 2024 were included. These studies were retrieved from six databases using search terms related to rugby-7s or sevens, tackle, collision, collision sport, injury, athlete, incidence rate, mechanism, and risk factor. Only peer-reviewed original studies using prospective or retrospective cohort designs with a clearly defined rugby-7s sample were considered. Included studies needed to report one injury outcome variable. Non-English and qualitative studies; reviews, conference papers, and abstracts were excluded. Twenty studies were included. The meta-analysis used the DerSimonian-Laird continuous random-effects method to calculate the pooled estimated means and 95% confidence interval. The estimated mean injury incidence rate for men was 108.5/1000 player-hours (95% CI: 85.9-131.0) and 76.1/1000 player-hours (95% CI: 48.7-103.5) for women. The estimated mean severity for men was 33.9 days (95% CI: 20.7-47.0) and 44.2 days (95% CI: 32.1-56.3) for women. Significantly more match injuries occurred in the second half of matches, were acute, located at the lower limb, diagnosed as joint/ligament, and resulted from being tackled. Fatigue, player fitness, and previous injuries were associated with an increased risk of injury. There were no statistically significant differences between women's and men's injury profiles. However, the inherent cultural and gendered factors which divide the two sports should not be ignored. The findings from this review will help pave the way forward beyond the foundational stages of injury prevention research in rugby-7s.
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Behardien et al. (2024) conducted a meta-analysis in Rugby-7s injuries (n=20). Male sex vs. Female sex was evaluated on Injury incidence rate per 1000 player-hours. Male rugby-7s players had an estimated mean injury incidence rate of 108.5/1000 player-hours compared to 76.1/1000 player-hours for females, with no statistically significant difference.
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