2 min read • December 30, 2022
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Football is known to have one of the highest cases of concussions in pro sports today; however, rugby has also become a subject of focus on this controversial topic. In this article, we will compare NFL concussions vs rugby and the protocols regarding player protection in both sports.
When sports leagues refuse to take head injuries and concussions as seriously as they should, devastating consequences are bound to follow. Since the basis for the head injuries and concussions controversy in American Football and rugby was established decades ago, the comparison between NFL concussions vs rugby has existed for a while.
The risk of concussions among players in these sports can not be entirely eradicated. However, it can considerably be reduced. For this reason, a group of international sports representatives, including the NFL and the Rugby Union, came together to share their research on concussions and work on improving the health and safety of their players.
After decades of denial and conducting research, the NFL has eventually accepted the severity of concussions and how they affect the health of players and the integrity of the league. According to the NFL injury data, 187 players were diagnosed with concussions during the preseason and regular season practices and games in 2021.
Many of the concussions in the NFL result from helmet-to-helmet collisions compared to other causes, such as contact with other body parts -hips or shoulders- or the ground. However, the NFL continues collaborating with experts to understand more about concussions and improve their players' well-being.
In 2011, the NFL Head, Neck, and Spine Committee drafted the NFL Concussion Protocol, which was introduced to the league that same year. The protocol is reviewed yearly to ensure players are cared for in the best way possible. Other ways through which the NFL improves players' well-being are as follows:
Disseminating information on team injury data, preseason drills, and player positions across the league during preseason practices.
Mandating NFL teams to review their contact drills and practice schedules.
Enforcing new NFL rules that eliminate game tactics that could result in concussions.
Working with biomechanic engineers each year to evaluate the best impact-reduction helmets.
Collaborating with the NFL Player Association to increase the number of medical personnel present on game days
Working with medical experts, researchers, and institutions to discover better ways of identifying, diagnosing, and managing concussions
During the 2013 Lions' tour of Australia, there was an increased concern about the safety of rugby players when an obviously concussed George Smith was allowed to return to play a few minutes after taking a hit to the head. However, he was later administered a mandatory "off-field cognitive test" designed for players who may have sustained brain injuries.
The international rugby board drafted the "off-field cognitive test" in 2011 as a reaction to the increasing numbers of brain injuries sustained during the game. This procedure evaluates players' balance, speech, memory, other neurological functions, and concussion symptoms and signs. The following medical game guidelines apply to both elite and non-elite rugby players:
Players who exhibit any concussion symptoms or may likely have one must be immediately and permanently excluded from the rest of the training or game.
Coaches, players, and side-line medical staff must ensure that a concussed or allegedly concussed player is safely taken off.
If sustained injury includes a neck injury, appropriate emergency management procedures must be taken. The player should only be taken off the field by trained medical professionals.
Once taken off, the player should be neurologically examined for concussion symptoms and severity.
Although about two-thirds of rugby players who sustain head injuries suffer from concussions, it is not uncommon to see players continue the game after a few minutes of taking the cognitive test. Not only is an action like this in violation of the World Rugby concussion protocol, but it can also worsen concussion symptoms and cause long-term brain damage.
Concussions are an inevitable risk when it comes to contact sports, and although the NFL and rugby are very different, they are sports that involve body contact and tackling, hence this comparison.
In American football and rugby, it has been discovered that the player tackling is most prone to concussions. Therefore, some level of responsibility is required from the players and the sports governing bodies to minimize this risk.
Here are the similarities between concussions in both of these significant contact sports:
The concussion protocols are significant steps that the NFL and World Rugby have taken to improve concussion identification, diagnosis, and management. These protocols ensure that players who have taken a hit to the head do not return to play without proper medical care and fully recovering.
When conducting an "off-field cognitive test," the NFL and World Rugby have similar concussion symptoms. If a player shows some of these symptoms, that player is under no circumstance allowed to continue that game or practice and must undergo proper medical care. These symptoms and signs are as follows:
Impact seizures and fencing response
Loss of consciousness (LOC)
Gross motor instability resulting in unsteady gait, poor balance and coordination, and continuous falling over
Confusion, disorientation, and amnesia
Involuntary eye and pupillary movement or nystagmus
Clutching of the head
Slurred speech
The NFL and World Rugby mandate that a return-to-participation process should be conducted for concussed players. Called the Graduated Return To Play (GRTP) program in rugby, a return-to-participation process is a progressive recovery program through which players are gradually reintroduced into the game through various levels of exercises and drills.
Players must complete the recommended physical rest before commencing this process and must comfortably engage in each level of exercise and drill without exhibiting any concussion symptoms. Also, players must go through the return-to-participate process under the supervision of the team's medical and training staff.
By changing the rules of the games, the NFL and World Rugby drive to eradicate risky tackles and violent behaviors on the field of play. At first, World Rugby began by issuing more penalties and yellow cards for high tackles, and gradually, more rules have been implemented to reduce concussion occurrences.
Here is the difference between NFL concussions and rugby:
The major difference between the NFL concussions and rugby is the degree of protective gear players have permission to put on in each sport. While rugby players wear little to no shoulder padding, a mouth guard, and a scrum cap, NFL players are covered in huge pads and rigid helmets.
Although NFL players initially appear to be well protected, they are usually more irresponsible when making contact. This is why you'll find that these players are reckless when tackling or blocking. However, while players still make hard contact in rugby, it is done using the classic rugby tackle that minimizes blows to the head.
This rugby tackle is taught throughout all age grades and goes thus:
Look at the target and aim at who you want to hit
Keep your eyes open, back straight, and put your hands in a catching position with your elbows in a while going forward.
Move and adjust your feet quickly so that your dominant foot is close to the ball carrier.
Go low and make steady contact with the shoulder and with the head to the side or back of the opponent
Wrap your arms forward and around the ball carrier.
Tackle the opponent to the ground, stand up and recover the ball.
It is undeniable that American Football and rugby are dangerous sports with high numbers of concussions annually. However, when it comes to player health and safety in these contact sports, factors such as the nature of the game, players' and teams' attitudes to safety, and the governing bodies' decisions are essential.
When considering safety from the aspect of the NFL and World Rugby's response to the issue of concussions, it might be difficult to tell which of these sports is safer. This is because these bodies consistently implement measures to reduce the number of concussions sustained, improve player health and safety and preserve the sports' integrity.
However, when analyzing the safety of either sport based on the players' and teams' attitudes to safety, it will be safe to say that rugby is safer. This is most likely because there are little to no protective paddings in rugby, thus giving players a higher need for self-preservation which is not always present in football.
The NFL and World Rugby are constantly seeking ways to reduce the risk of concussions in sports and enhance players' well-being. In addition to the incentives established by governing bodies, players and teams must adopt responsible and less risky behaviors in progress play.
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