Effects of tackle height and shoulder preference on head and trunk acceleration in rugby

Abstract

Background Most rugby injuries occur during tackles, therefore investigating safe tackling techniques is essential. Objectives To determine the effects of different tackle heights and shoulder preference on head and trunk acceleration. Methods Thirty-nine rugby players belonging to university leagues, adult leagues, and adult leagues, tackled a stationary tackle bag under three height conditions (high, middle, and low) with a dominant shoulder and a non-dominant shoulder. We calculated the peak head and trunk accelerations (PhA and PtA, respectively) during the tackles and evaluated the difference in accelerations by the tackle height and side. Results The PhA (26.1 g (17.1) g) during the tackles was significantly higher than the PtA (11.7(7.2) g, p < 0.01). The PhA was significantly larger in the high (27.4 (19.4) g) and middle (27.7 (17.0) g) tackles compared to the low (23.4 (14.6) g) tackle (high vs low: p < 0.01; middle vs low: p < 0.01). The PhA was significantly lower during the dominant shoulder side (23.0 (13.7) g) tackles than during the non-dominant shoulder side (30.4 (21.3) g) tackles ( p < 0.01). Conclusion The results suggest that coaching strategies and policies aimed at reducing tackler height and improving tackle technique on the non-dominant shoulder would help reduce head acceleration forces.