Knee injuries in rugby players occur with high incidence and severity, posing a significant burden on athletes. Although many studies on rugby injuries have been published, few combine video analysis with epidemiological injury surveillance to further elucidate injury mechanisms.
A study published in The Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine involved 198 male university rugby players over six seasons, from 2017 to 2022. Injury surveillance data and video footage of matches were used to evaluate the incidence, severity, and burden of knee injuries, as well as their underlying mechanisms. Among the 81 knee injuries during the study period, 29 underwent video analysis.
The results revealed that injuries caused by indirect contact—where external forces affected areas other than the knee—had a high incidence and burden, and that the direction of movement during tackles was associated with injury severity.
These findings suggest that physical contact such as tackling contributes to prolonged absence from competition, and that specific injury mechanisms can influence the severity of knee injuries.
The insights gained from this study are expected to guide the development of targeted prevention programs for knee injuries in rugby.
More information
Ayane Ogura et al, Mechanisms of knee injuries in male university rugby union players: a systematic video analysis and injury surveillance study, The Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.7600/jpfsm.2025.021
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