Journal article

Mild traumatic brain injury among a cohort of rugby union players: predictors of time to injury

Stephanie J Hollis, Mark R Stevenson, Andrew S McIntosh, Ling Li, Stephane Heritier, E Arthur Shores, Michael W Collins, Caroline F Finch

BRITISH JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE | B M J PUBLISHING GROUP | Published : 2011

Abstract

This study reports the time to sustain a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) among a cohort of community rugby union players. Demographic and player characteristics were collected and players followed up for between one and three playing seasons. 7% of the cohort sustained an mTBI within 10 h of game time, increasing twofold to 14% within 20 h. The mean time to first mTBI was 8 h with an SD of 6.2 (median 6.8 h; IQR: 2.9-11.7 h). Players reporting a recent history of concussion were 20% more likely to sustain an mTBI after 20 h of game time compared with those with no recent history of concussion. Players were likely to sustain an mTBI in shorter time if they trained for <3 h/week (HR=1.48, p..

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Grants

Awarded by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Funding Acknowledgements

SJH was supported by postgraduate scholarship funding from the Australian Government's National Health and Medical Research Council, and scholarship funding from the NSW Sporting Injuries Committee. MRS was also supported by funding from the Australian Government's National Health and Medical Research Council. LL was funded by the New South Wales Health Biostatistical Training Program. This study was supported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant 5R49CE323155 to the University of Pittsburgh Center for Injury Research and Control.