Self-reported prevalence, type, severity and management of musculoskeletal injuries among high school rugby players in the Nelson Mandela Bay metropole

Date
2019-04
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY : Background: The number of rugby players and match activities has increased and heightened the risk of injuries since the introduction of Rugby’s professional status by the International Board of Rugby in 1995. Several types of cohort studies were done on the epidemiology of rugby injuries, including studies in the adolescent population, as the adolescent player aspires to play professionally. Fewer studies involved a self-reported questionnaire. Aim of study: This study aimed to determine the self-reported prevalence, type and severity of rugby-related musculoskeletal injuries, as well as the treatment of the relevant injuries, if any, as reported by high school rugby players attending top rugby schools in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole (NMBM), Eastern Cape situated in South Africa, using a specifically designed questionnaire. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire to determine the prevalence, type, severity and management of adolescent rugby injuries in the NMBM was developed in this study. The questionnaire was administered to adolescent rugby players at top rugby schools in the NMBM area. The questionnaire was completed electronically via SurveyMonkey® or in paper format to collect information related to the prevalence, type, severity and management of injuries in the adolescent rugby player was collected. Results: A detailed self-reported questionnaire was developed using previous questionnaires. Focus was placed on the clarification of terms so that adolescents would understand what was being asked. Findings regarding the prevalence of injuries among this group found that head and face injuries, including concussions, shoulder and knee injuries were mostly reported. Similar findings have been found in other national and international studies. Most of the injuries were described as soft tissue-injuries and were predominant muscular injuries. Overall, most of the injuries were described as mild. The respondents indicated physiotherapy as the treatment option most utilised, whereas other studies identified first aiders, medication and other medical treatment as the chief management options. However, the response of 41.9% could not be considered representative of the chosen population and the results have to be viewed with caution. Conclusion: The prevalence of injuries among high school rugby players attending top rugby schools in the NMBM area of South Africa was found to be on par with other studies. A specifically-developed self-reported questionnaire describing the prevalence, type, severity and management of injuries in the adolescent rugby player can provide easy and significant information to be used in the development of preventative, curative and rehabilitative strategies and programmes among similar populations. Clarifying of the terminology used in the questionnaire with the help of a trained medical person during the rugby season could provide more reliable and clear answers and could minimise possible bias. Better accessibility to the questionnaire could improve the response rate to make the collected data more representative. Further reliability and validation of similar questionnaires is however required.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Agtergrond: Die risiko op beserings het verhoog met die toename in rugbyspelergetalle en rugbywedstryde vandat die Internasionale Rugyraad rugby as ‘n professionele sport in 1995 verklaar het. Verskeie kohort studies is al gedoen om die epidemiologie van rugbybeserings te ondersoek, insluitende by die populasie van adolessent rugbyspelers, aangesien sommige adolessent spelers daarna streef om professioneel te speel. Studies, wat van ’n self-gerapporteerde vraelys gebruik maak, is in die minderheid. Doelwit: Hierdie studie het gepoog om die voorkoms, tipe, graad van ernstigheid en hantering van rugbybeserings, soos self-gerapporteer deur die adolessent rugbyspelers van Nelson Mandela Baai Metropool (NMBM) in die Oos-Kaap, Suid Afrika, deur middel van ‘n spesifiek ontwerpte vraelys te bepaal. Metode: ‘n Self-gerapporteerde vraelys om die voorkoms, tipe, graad van ernstigheid en die hantering van beserings in die adolessent rugyspeler van NMBM te bepaal, is ontwikkel. Die vraelys is aan die adolessent rugbyspelers van die top rugbyskole in NMBM beskikbaar gestel. Hierdie vraelys is elektronies op SurveyMonkey of op gedrukte media voltooi om sodoende data wat die voorkoms, tipe, graad van ernstigheid en hantering van beserings in die adolessent rugbyspelers aandui, te versamel. Resultate: ‘n Gedetailleerde self-gerapporteerde vraelys is ontwikkel nadat vorige vraelyste ontleed is. Sorg is gedra dat die adolossente die terme in gebruik maklik sou verstaan. Die prevalensie van beserings in hierdie groep het hoofsaaklik kop- en gesigbeserings, insluitende konkussies, behels, asook skouer- en kniebeserings. Ander nasionale en internasionale studies het dieselfde resultate gelewer. Die meeste van die beserings is as sagteweefselbeserings beskryf, waarvan spierbeserings die mees algemeenste was. Die responente het fisioterapie as die behandelingsmetode wat die meeste gebruik is, aangedui, in vergelyking met ander studies wat noodhulpwerkers, medisyne en ander behandelingsmodaliteite aandui. Die terugvoer van 41.9% in hierdie studie kan egter nie as verteenwoordigend van die gekose populasie beskou word nie en die resultate moet dus omsigtig beskou word. Gevolgtrekking: Die prevalensie van beserings in die hoërskool rugbyspelers van die top rugbyskole in NMBM was soortgelyk aan dié van ander studies. ‘n Spesifiek ontwikkelde self-gerapporteerde vraelys wat die voorkoms, tipe, graad van ernstigheid en hantering van beserings in die adolessent rugbyspeler bepaal, kan heelwat inligting op ‘n redelik maklike manier insamel om sodoende programme te kan ontwikkel wat fokus op die voorkoming, behandeling en rehabilitasie van beserings in soortgelyke populasies. ‘n Medies opgeleide persoon kan van hulp wees om die woordgebruik en terminologie in die vraelys aan die spelers gedurende die rugbyseisoen meer duidelik te maak en sodoende meer betroubare antwoorde in te samel wat wanvoorstellings deur die adolessente kan verminder. ‘n Meer verteenwoordigende respons kan verkry word indien die vraelys meer toeganklik gemaak kan word vir die spelers. Die betroubaarheid en geldigheid van soortgelyke vraelyste moet egter aandag geniet.
Description
Thesis (MScPhysio)--Stellenbosch University, 2019.
Keywords
Rugby football players -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (South Africa), Rugby football injuries -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (South Africa), Musculoskeletal system -- Wounds and injuries -- Patients, Teenagers -- Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (South Africa), UCTD
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