Journal of science and medicine in sport最新文献

{"title":"Large variations in analgesic consumption patterns in youth elite athletes: a 28-week prospective cohort study","authors":"Julie Rønne Pedersen,&nbsp;Afsaneh Mohammadnejad,&nbsp;Merete Møller,&nbsp;Louise Kamuk Storm,&nbsp;Bart Koes,&nbsp;Jonas Bloch Thorlund","doi":"10.1016/j.jsams.2026.05.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jsams.2026.05.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this prospective cohort study, we aimed to identify different analgesic consumption patterns among 690 youth elite athletes and 505 students (15–20 years). Group-based trajectory modeling identified distinct consumption patterns and mixed-effects Poisson regression estimated relative risks of analgesic use between groups based on weekly reports of analgesic use over 28 weeks. Four patterns emerged: minimal/non-users (48% athletes/53% students), occasional users (31%/33%), frequent users (19%/11%), and persistent users (2.5%/3.2%), and relative risks of use increased with higher trajectory groups. These findings indicate that while most youth report minimal use, a subset engage in frequent or persistent analgesic use.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16992,"journal":{"name":"Journal of science and medicine in sport","volume":"29 11","pages":"Pages 1224-1231"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148156875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Probability of meeting the restrained sitting guideline in early childhood: an international cross-sectional study","authors":"Katherine E. Spring,&nbsp;E. Kipling Webster,&nbsp;Robbie A. Beyl,&nbsp;Chalchisa Abdeta,&nbsp;Oluwayomi Abolade Aoko,&nbsp;Jambaldorj Bayasgalan,&nbsp;Ankhmaa Byambaa,&nbsp;Mohamed Souhaiel Chelly,&nbsp;Michael Chia,&nbsp;Jesus del Pozo-Cruz,&nbsp;Catherine Draper,&nbsp;Elina Engberg,&nbsp;Fazlollah Ghofranipour,&nbsp;Hongyan Guan,&nbsp;Amy S. Ha,&nbsp;Asmaa El Hamdouchi,&nbsp;Najmeh Hamzavi Zarghani,&nbsp;Mohammad Sorowar Hossain,&nbsp;Alejandra Jáuregui,&nbsp;Denise Koh,&nbsp;Amanda E. Staiano","doi":"10.1016/j.jsams.2026.04.018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jsams.2026.04.018","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To estimate the proportion of children who meet the restrained sitting guidelines (i.e. &lt;<!--> <!-->1 h in continuous restrained sedentary). The secondary aim was to determine which factors contribute to the probability a child will meet the restrained sitting guidelines.</div></div><div><h3>Design</h3><div>Secondary data analysis of 32 countries participating in the SUNRISE International Study.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Parent surveys were used to collect child demographic information and total restrained sitting. Physical activity was assessed with an accelerometer (ActiGraph wGT3X-BT). A generalized linear mixed model was used to determine the probability of a child meeting the restrained sitting guidelines based on sex, age, geographic region, time spent in a vehicle, and hours of total physical activity. Separate models were run by country income level.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Final analysis included 2647 children (4.3 ± 0.5 years, 50.6% girls, 49.0% rural). Overall, 81.9% of participants met the restrained sitting guidelines. Odds of meeting the guidelines were 35% lower for children in urban areas and 71% lower for spending 60 min or more in a vehicle. Every additional hour of physical activity increased the odds of meeting the guidelines by a factor of 1.25. These relationships differed when stratified by country income level.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>While most children meet the guidelines, a focus on children living in urban areas, spending more time in vehicles, and those who engage in less physical activity is warranted.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16992,"journal":{"name":"Journal of science and medicine in sport","volume":"29 11","pages":"Pages 1266-1272"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147930740","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Knowledge is Power: The case for female-focused health education in the WTA.","authors":"Melanie J Hayman, Margie H Davenport, Jodie Dakic, Deirdre McGhee, Kathleen Stroia, Christopher Kronk, Kirsty J Elliott-Sale","doi":"10.1016/j.jsams.2026.09.021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2026.09.021","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>High-performance sport has traditionally been shaped by male physiology, with limited consideration for female-specific health needs. As women's sport grows, tailored health education is increasingly recognised as essential. This study delivered and evaluated embedding women's health education into the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Annual Physicals at the 2024 Miami Open.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Brief one-on-one education sessions on four priority women's health topics: sports bra design and fit; pelvic health; menstrual cycle and hormonal contraceptives; and preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum return to sport.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>During the 2024 WTA Annual Physicals, athletes were invited to attend four women's health educational sessions delivered by WTA Women's Health Taskforce members and the WTA Performance Health Team. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively; qualitative data were analysed using content analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 138 athletes who completed physicals, 99 (72%) participated in at least one optional women's health educational session, with 263 sessions delivered. Thirty-three athletes (33%) attended all four. Evaluation data showed 80% found sessions worthwhile, 90% rated their experience positively, and 90% learned something new. Key findings included limited baseline knowledge of sports bra fit, pelvic floor function, and menstrual health, with strong interest in learning more. Numerous athletes were referred for further medical review.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Integrating women's health education into routine athlete care appears feasible and well-received in elite sport environments. The WTA model shows how brief, targeted education may enhance health literacy, prompt symptom disclosure, and support athlete well-being and performance. This initiative offers a scalable framework for other sporting organisations.</p>","PeriodicalId":16992,"journal":{"name":"Journal of science and medicine in sport","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149194596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physical activity intensity in active learning: Implications for sports medicine and early childhood cognitive development","authors":"Mudayat,&nbsp;Sri Tatminingsih,&nbsp;Dony Darma Sagita,&nbsp;Ahmad Syaikhu,&nbsp;Della Raymena Jovanka","doi":"10.1016/j.jsams.2026.04.017","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jsams.2026.04.017","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16992,"journal":{"name":"Journal of science and medicine in sport","volume":"29 11","pages":"Pages 1273-1274"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147981574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of head impact exposure on in-game heart rate dynamics in Canadian varsity football athletes","authors":"Abdullah Zafar,&nbsp;Géraldine Martens,&nbsp;Samuel Guay,&nbsp;Sophie-Andrée Vinet,&nbsp;Eric Wagnac,&nbsp;Laurie-Ann Corbin-Berrigan,&nbsp;François Prince,&nbsp;Jaden Pantazis,&nbsp;Simon Prince,&nbsp;Louis De Beaumont","doi":"10.1016/j.jsams.2026.05.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jsams.2026.05.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To characterize the association between head impact exposure and heart rate dynamics during varsity football games.</div></div><div><h3>Design</h3><div>Prospective observational study following a convenience sample of 72 athletes over two seasons.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Athletes wore instrumented mouthguards and chest-strap sensors to record head impact exposure, heart rate, and velocity. After filtering for physiologically relevant recovery segments (<span><math><mi>n</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>7693</mn></math></span>), linear mixed-effects models assessed associations between head impact exposure and heart rate dynamics, controlling for physical exertion and inter-individual variability. Exploratory non-linear associations were modeled using generalized additive mixed models.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Greater acute impact magnitude was associated with elevated heart rate and delayed time to peak heart rate recovery (<span><math><mi>p</mi><mo>&lt;</mo><mn>0.001</mn></math></span>), independent of running speed. Random slopes analysis further indicated substantial inter-individual variability in the immediate cardiac response to impacts. Higher accumulated session-wide impact exposure demonstrated a non-linear relationship with heart rate recovery speed; recovery dynamics remained preserved at lower exposure levels (i.e., <span><math><mo>≤</mo><mn>200</mn><mspace></mspace><mi>g</mi></math></span>) but were progressively attenuated at higher cumulative loads (i.e., <span><math><mo>&gt;</mo><mn>200</mn><mspace></mspace><mi>g</mi></math></span>).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Head impact exposure is associated with systematic alterations in heart rate recovery dynamics during live sport participation. These findings identify cardiovascular recovery as a sensitive, non-invasive physiological signal linked to head impacts, independent of measured locomotor workload variables. While clinical outcomes were not assessed, the results demonstrate the feasibility of integrated wearable monitoring to characterize physiological strain and motivate future studies linking impact history with functional and clinical endpoints.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16992,"journal":{"name":"Journal of science and medicine in sport","volume":"29 11","pages":"Pages 1205-1212"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147982424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From plan to practice: Development, awareness, and implementation of sports injury and illness risk management plans in a professional male football setting","authors":"Bahar Hassanmirzaei,&nbsp;Montassar Tabben,&nbsp;Yorck Olaf Schumacher,&nbsp;Alaaeddine Rahali,&nbsp;Hicham Moutaouakkil,&nbsp;Mokhtar Chaabane,&nbsp;Mourad Mokrani,&nbsp;Zied Ellouze,&nbsp;Roald Bahr","doi":"10.1016/j.jsams.2026.05.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jsams.2026.05.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To examine the development, stakeholder involvement, and implementation of risk management plans in professional football clubs in Qatar during the 2022–2023 season, with a focus on creation, team awareness, and completion of mitigation tasks.</div></div><div><h3>Design</h3><div>Observational study.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>All 18 professional football clubs were invited to participate. Data were collected during face-to-face meetings with each team’s representatives using a standardized questionnaire addressing stakeholder involvement, awareness of the risk management plan within the team, task assignment, and implementation. A total of 324 mitigation tasks were reviewed. Implementation was rated using a six-point Likert scale.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Sixteen clubs participated in the study. Across the clubs, 331 risk management plan tasks were identified, of which 324 were evaluated for implementation. RMP development was primarily undertaken by team doctors, physiotherapists, and fitness coaches, with no involvement from managers or players. Implementation levels were highest when tasks were assigned to medical staff or mixed groups that included at least one medical team member. Team-related tasks had higher implementation levels than season-related tasks (p = 0.024), while risk priority did not had an affect on the implementation levels.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>In professional football clubs, the presence of medical personnel among the responsible staff was a key determinant of the higher implementation rates for mitigation tasks. Neither the risk category nor the stated priority level predicted implementation. These findings provide empirical insight into how structured risk management is operationalized in elite football and underscore the central role of medical and fitness staff in executing injury and illness prevention.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16992,"journal":{"name":"Journal of science and medicine in sport","volume":"29 11","pages":"Pages 1232-1238"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148205412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Agreement between lactate threshold and critical speed in trained, highly trained, and World Class runners","authors":"Katie L. Rainsberger,&nbsp;Andrew W. Subudhi,&nbsp;James Pearson,&nbsp;Marissa N. Baranauskas","doi":"10.1016/j.jsams.2026.04.020","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jsams.2026.04.020","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To determine whether differences between laboratory-based lactate and field-based critical speed estimates of the heavy-to-severe intensity threshold vary by athlete caliber, and to assess agreement between methods.</div></div><div><h3>Design</h3><div>Thirty-one (52% female) trained, highly-trained and World Class runners (McKay Tier 2 vs. 3 vs. 4/5; peak aerobic velocity = 15.5 ± 0.9 vs. 17.5 ± 1.1 vs. 19.8 ± 1.2 km/h) completed two exercise tests, ~<!--> <!-->4 days apart.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A laboratory treadmill protocol included 6–10, 4-minute stages increasing 0.6 km/h until blood lactate was &gt;<!--> <!-->4 mmol/L followed by a 1% incline increase each minute until volitional fatigue. Threshold speeds were determined from individualized blood lactate responses using modified D-max and the onset of blood lactate. Critical speed was calculated from a linear distance–time regression using maximal efforts over 3200 m, 2000 m, and 1000 m.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>There were main effects of test type (<em>p</em> = 0.001) and athlete caliber (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001) on threshold speeds, with no interaction (<em>p</em> = 0.282). Speeds increased from trained to highly-trained and World Class (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001) and highly-trained to World Class (<em>p</em> = 0.001). Critical speed was 0.47 [0.16–0.78 km/h, <em>p</em> = 0.001] and 0.36 [0.05–0.67 km/h, <em>p</em> = 0.016] faster than modified D-max and onset of blood lactate. Mean biases [95% limits of agreement] versus critical speed were 0.45 [−<!--> <!-->0.54–1.43 km/h] for modified D-max and 0.28 [−<!--> <!-->1.40–1.96 km/h] for onset of blood lactate.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Critical speed yielded consistently faster threshold estimates than lactate-based methods irrespective of athlete caliber, suggesting these tests not be used interchangeably.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16992,"journal":{"name":"Journal of science and medicine in sport","volume":"29 11","pages":"Pages 1286-1294"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147930766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Injury incidence and prevalence across the women's cricket performance pathway in England and Wales: a three-season retrospective cohort study","authors":"Katie Stanislas,&nbsp;Sean Williams,&nbsp;Keith A. Stokes,&nbsp;Amy Williams,&nbsp;Angela George,&nbsp;Anna Warren,&nbsp;Deborah Woodage,&nbsp;Luke Goggins,&nbsp;Thamindu Wedatilake,&nbsp;Carly D. McKay","doi":"10.1016/j.jsams.2026.06.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jsams.2026.06.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To describe the epidemiology of time-loss and non-time-loss injuries in the women's cricket professional pathway across international, domestic and academy levels in England and Wales.</div></div><div><h3>Design</h3><div>Retrospective cohort analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Routinely collected surveillance data (2021/22–2023/24) were analysed using the 2016 International Consensus Statement on Injury Surveillance in Cricket definitions. Average annual cohort sizes were 19 international, 174 domestic, and 103 academy players.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Pooled time-loss injury incidence across the three seasons was 107 injuries/100 players/year (95% confidence interval 81, 137) at international level, 48 (95% confidence interval 42, 54) at domestic level, and 51 (95% confidence interval 43, 59) at academy level. Across levels, the thigh was the only body region ranked within the top three sites for mean annual time-loss injury incidence (6.1–15.9 injuries/100 players/ year), whilst the lumbar spine represented the highest mean annual injury prevalence at international and academy levels (1.7% and 1.2%, respectively). Hand injuries had the highest total match-related incidence in international and domestic players (6.7 and 7.4 injuries/1000 player match days, respectively). Fielding accounted for the highest injury incidence among specified activities in annual and match analyses. All incidence values reflect descriptive ordering due to often wide and overlapping confidence intervals.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Three seasons of consensus-aligned surveillance provide a baseline for elite women's cricket in England and Wales. Findings highlight four priority areas: time-loss thigh injuries, substantial lumbar spine injury prevalence, hand match-related injury frequency, and fielding-related injury events. Improved recording of activity and match format would enhance future risk characterisation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16992,"journal":{"name":"Journal of science and medicine in sport","volume":"29 11","pages":"Pages 1295-1304"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148277821","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sprint acceleration technique is associated with lower limb injury epidemiology in professional male Rugby Union players: a seven-season analysis","authors":"James J. Wild,&nbsp;Neil E. Bezodis","doi":"10.1016/j.jsams.2026.05.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jsams.2026.05.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To investigate whether sprint acceleration technique is associated with the epidemiology of non-contact lower limb running-based injuries in professional male Rugby Union players.</div></div><div><h3>Design</h3><div>Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected cohort data.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Eighty-five professional male rugby players were monitored across seven seasons, comprising 63,786 total hours of training and match exposure. Players were classified into four sprint acceleration strategy groups based on their spatiotemporal characteristics obtained during quantitative sprint acceleration testing. Non-contact lower limb running-based injuries were prospectively recorded using standardised injury surveillance methods. Injury incidence, severity, and burden were calculated per 1000 player hours. Poisson regression models were used to determine relative risks for index injuries by acceleration strategy group, adjusting for exposure and age.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Sixty-two players sustained 123 non-contact lower limb running-based injuries. Calf injuries had the highest incidence, whilst hamstring injuries imposed the greatest burden. Players adopting a high step-rate and short flight time strategy were over 2.5 times more likely to sustain hamstring injuries, whereas those adopting a longer step length and longer flight time strategy were over 2.5 times more likely to sustain calf injuries. Conversely, the high step-rate and short flight time strategy was associated with a substantially lower risk of calf injury.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Sprint acceleration technique is associated with site-specific non-contact lower limb injury risk in professional male rugby players. Acceleration strategy-specific injury profiles highlight the importance of incorporating individual sprint mechanics into multifactorial injury prevention and monitoring practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16992,"journal":{"name":"Journal of science and medicine in sport","volume":"29 11","pages":"Pages 1239-1248"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148015994","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Match injury profiles in female South African youth and senior rugby union players.","authors":"Lara Paul, Clint Readhead, Wayne Viljoen, Mike Lambert, Isla J Shill, Ben Jones, Carolyn A Emery, Sharief Hendricks","doi":"10.1016/j.jsams.2026.09.020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2026.09.020","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To compare and describe match injury profiles between female South African youth and senior rugby union players.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>A prospective cohort study on injuries in female rugby union players from National U16, U18, U20, and Senior competitions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Team doctors and researchers recorded time-loss match injuries during South African national 2023 and 2024 women's rugby competitions. Poisson regression was used to estimate incidence rate ratios, comparing injury rates between age groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 261 time-loss injuries were recorded. The Senior age group had 40% lower injury rates than the U16 age group (incidence rate ratio = 0.6, 95% confidence interval: 0.4-0.9, p = 0.009). The tackle was the leading cause of injury across all age groups. The tackler-related injury rate was 70% lower for Seniors compared to the U16 age group (incidence rate ratio = 0.3, 0.1-0.7, p = 0.006). The U16 age group recorded the highest proportion of concussions (40%). The Senior age group injury rate was 70% lower for concussions compared to the U16 age group (incidence rate ratio = 0.3, 0.2-0.6, p = 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Injury rates decreased with age in the national women's rugby competitions, with Senior players demonstrating a significantly lower overall injury rate than the U16 age group. Injury rates for adult players were similar to current international women's rugby union, while youth (U16, U18, U20) injury rates were lower than previously reported. Given the frequency of tackle-related injuries, focused injury prevention strategies should be identified and implemented across all developmental stages.</p>","PeriodicalId":16992,"journal":{"name":"Journal of science and medicine in sport","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149182640","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}