Pablo Martin Stegerhoek, Boris Brajovic, Paul Kuijer, Mirwais Mehrab
{"title":"Injury prevalence among Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners globally: a cross-sectional study in 881 participants.","authors":"Pablo Martin Stegerhoek, Boris Brajovic, Paul Kuijer, Mirwais Mehrab","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002322","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002322","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a rapidly growing combat sport characterised by ground fighting and submission techniques. There are limited data regarding BJJ injuries. This study described the incidence and characteristics of injuries in BJJ practitioners.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This retrospective survey targeted BJJ practitioners globally who trained at least once per week. The survey was distributed online and via posters at multiple Dutch BJJ competitions. Data collection took place from 15 February 2024 to 17 March 2024. We collected training, competition and injury data from the past 12 months. Complaints that required medical attention caused time loss (≥1 week) or led to training modification (≥2 weeks) were defined as an injury.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 881 participants, 817 (90%) were male, and the average age was 30.8 years (SD 8.6). Injury information was provided on a total of 888 injuries. The injury incidence was 5.5 (95% CI 4.9 to 6.1) per 1000 hours in training and 55.9 (95% CI 38.8 to 73.0) injuries per 1000 matches, with a higher rate observed among participants with a higher belt level. Most injuries (n=789, 89%) occurred during training, mainly (n=620, 79%) during sparring. The knees (n=223, 25%) and shoulders (n=114, 13%) were the most affected body regions.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study found an injury incidence of 5.5 per 1000 hours of training and 55.9 per 1000 matches for BJJ practitioners. Future preventative practices should focus on the free sparring part of training to be most effective. Future studies should also monitor BJJ practitioners prospectively to understand injury aetiology better.</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"11 1","pages":"e002322"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11907054/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143651383","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Correction: Multimodal intervention based on physical exercise, mindfulness, behaviour change and education to improve pain and health in patients with chronic primary low back pain: a study protocol of the HEALTHYBACK randomised controlled trial.","authors":"","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002188corr1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002188corr1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002188.].</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"11 1","pages":"e002188corr1"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11907013/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143651426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sarah Isabel Krieg, Lynn Matits, Lennart Mentz, Johannes Kirsten, Birgit Friedmann-Bette, Andreas Niess, Peter Deibert, Philipp Maier, Michèle Natale, Gunnar Erz, Daniel Alexander Bizjak, Jana Schellenberg
{"title":"Effects of an app-based physical training for long- and post-COVID treatment (A PILOT) study: protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial.","authors":"Sarah Isabel Krieg, Lynn Matits, Lennart Mentz, Johannes Kirsten, Birgit Friedmann-Bette, Andreas Niess, Peter Deibert, Philipp Maier, Michèle Natale, Gunnar Erz, Daniel Alexander Bizjak, Jana Schellenberg","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2025-002540","DOIUrl":"10.1136/bmjsem-2025-002540","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Long- and post-COVID syndrome (PCS) affect at least 65 million individuals globally, with an estimated incidence of 10% among over 651 million documented cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection. PCS impacts nearly every organ system, posing significant challenges for healthcare systems and patients. Despite this, effective guidelines for multimodal training or rehabilitation remain absent. The app-based physical intervention for long- and post-COVID treatment (A PILOT) study is a prospective, multicentre, two-armed, randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of an app-based multimodal training intervention in patients with PCS. 100 participants will be randomly assigned to an intervention group (IG) or a control group (CG). Over 2 months, the IG will follow a standardised app-based intervention programme incorporating breathing exercises, endurance and strength training and progressive muscle relaxation. The CG will adhere to general WHO exercise recommendations during the waiting period and gain access to the app after the study concludes. Comprehensive assessments, including physical examinations, blood tests, psychological questionnaires, transthoracic echocardiography, electrocardiography and cardiopulmonary exercise testing, will be conducted pre- and post-intervention. The primary endpoints are the effects of app-based multimodal training on physical performance, neurocognitive function and health-related quality of life. Secondary endpoints include mental health outcomes (eg, depression, perceived stress, sleep quality and daytime sleepiness), echocardiographic and anthropometric measures and alterations in inflammatory markers and metabolites of the kynurenine pathway. This study aims to provide critical insights into structured app-based programmes, potentially establishing a framework for improving recovery in PCS patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"11 1","pages":"e002540"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11887285/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143587465","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Comparison of Omron and ActiGraph monitors in estimating daily step counts and time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity in free-living adults.","authors":"Hiroko Shimura, Shinpei Okada, Kazushi Maruo, Kaori Daimaru, Naoki Deguchi, Yoshinori Fujiwara, Hiroyuki Sasai","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002402","DOIUrl":"10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002402","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study compared the Omron Active style Pro HJA-750C (OM) and the ActiGraph wGT3X-BT (AG) in estimating daily physical activity-step counts and time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA)-in free-living adults.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Japanese adults without gait abnormalities wore both devices during waking hours for seven consecutive days. Data were aggregated into daily steps and MVPA. A valid day required ≥10 hours of AG wear time with ≥100 and <50 000 accumulated steps from both devices. Agreement was assessed using Bland-Altman plots with multilevel analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The final dataset included 129 participants (age 23-89 years, 50.4% women), totalling 887 observations (5-7 daily observations/participant). OM estimated an overall mean of 7456 (SE 253) steps/day and 68.9 (SE 2.8) min/day in MVPA. Bland-Altman plots showed that OM estimated -56 steps/day (95% limits of agreement (LoA) = -1599; 1486) and +23 min/day (LoA = -17; 63) in MVPA compared with AG. Differences tended to increase with higher mean estimates for both step counts and MVPA.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>OM estimated substantially more daily time spent in MVPA but showed similar daily step counts compared with AG. Differences were larger with higher activity levels.</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"11 1","pages":"e002402"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11887312/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143587463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mathieu Tremblay, Samuel Anderson Sirois, Jacques Abboud, Martin Descarreaux
{"title":"Grip strength, muscle soreness and pain threshold perception evolution in baseball pitchers in a simulated 75-pitch game: a repeated measures study.","authors":"Mathieu Tremblay, Samuel Anderson Sirois, Jacques Abboud, Martin Descarreaux","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002146","DOIUrl":"10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002146","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background/aim: </strong>In baseball pitching, neuromuscular fatigue and its manifestations on muscle strength, muscle soreness and pain perception affect pitching performance. The purpose of this study was to quantify the evolution of grip strength, muscle soreness and pain threshold perception and pitching velocity in baseball pitchers throughout a simulated 75-pitch game.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>30 high-level amateur male baseball pitchers were recruited. Repeated measure analysis of covariance with age as a covariate (p<0.05) was used to identify significant differences across blocks of pitches for grip strength, muscle soreness, pain threshold perception and pitching velocity.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Dominant arm grip strength (55.67±12.32 kg to 48.62±12.25 kg ; -12.66%) and pitching velocity (119.87±8.00 km/hour to 118.75±6.90 km/hour ; -0.93%) declined while muscle soreness perception increased in dominant arm forearm flexors (1.65±1.16 to 4.19±2.02 ; 25.38%), biceps (1.81±1.39 to 4.31±1.85 ; 25%) and non-dominant arm forearm flexors (1.38±1.10 to 2.12±1.63 ; 7.31%) across the pitching blocks (p<0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In summary, a pitch count of 75 fastball pitches triggered an acute decline in grip strength combined with an increase in muscle soreness perception of the throwing arm in baseball pitchers.</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"11 1","pages":"e002146"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11877241/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143558422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Erika Pinelli, Lelia Valdrè, Lydia Piscitelli, Giulio Senesi, Maria Scoppolini Massini, Valentina Guarino, Isabella Diletta Cavalieri, Giuseppe Barone, Raffaele Zinno, Maria Grazia Benedetti, Giuseppina Mariagrazia Farella, Laura Bragonzoni
{"title":"Improving functional capacity in haemophilia through adapted physical activity: a pilot study protocol.","authors":"Erika Pinelli, Lelia Valdrè, Lydia Piscitelli, Giulio Senesi, Maria Scoppolini Massini, Valentina Guarino, Isabella Diletta Cavalieri, Giuseppe Barone, Raffaele Zinno, Maria Grazia Benedetti, Giuseppina Mariagrazia Farella, Laura Bragonzoni","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2025-002494","DOIUrl":"10.1136/bmjsem-2025-002494","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Haemophilia, a genetic disorder characterised by deficient clotting factors, often leads to musculoskeletal complications such as haemophilic arthropathy. These complications result in reduced functional capacity, muscle weakness and kinesiophobia, which further exacerbate physical inactivity and psychological distress. The World Federation of Haemophilia recommends including regular physical activity in the management plans for individuals with haemophilia, emphasising its benefits for bone and muscle strengthening, improved coordination, maintenance of healthy body weight and enhanced self-esteem. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an adapted physical activity (APA) programme in individuals with haemophilia. The primary objective is to analyse changes in functional capacity following participants' completion of the exercise programme. Additionally, the study evaluates the programme's impact on joint mobility, kinesiophobia, limitations in daily activities and static and dynamic balance. It is hypothesised that the APA programme may improve or maintain joint mobility, increase muscle strength, enhance proprioception and reduce fear of movement (kinesiophobia), thus contributing to an overall improvement in physical function in participants. The intervention is carefully designed to prioritise safety and proper execution. It incorporates low-impact, low- to moderate-intensity exercises tailored to individual joint functionality. Supervised by qualified professionals, the programme aims to minimise excessive joint loading and prevent haemarthrosis while promoting muscle strength, joint mobility and proprioception. The programme is structured into 1-hour sessions held twice weekly for 6 months. Each session has three sections: warm-up, the main part (strength, mobility, proprioception and balance exercises) and cool-down.</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"11 1","pages":"e002494"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11877259/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143557684","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jan Ekstrand, Martin Hägglund, Markus Waldén, Håkan Gauffin, Christophe Baudot, Paco Biosca, Markus Braun, Karl Heinrich Dittmar, Dimitrios Kalogiannidis, Steve McNally, Ricard Pruna, Nelson Puga, Max Sala, Luca Stefanini, Peter Ueblacker, Bruno Vanhecke, Maikel van Wijk, Wart Van Zoest, José Maria Villalón Alonso, Armin Spreco
{"title":"Higher level of communication between the medical staff and the performance staff is associated with a lower hamstring injury burden: a substudy on 14 teams from the UEFA Elite Club Injury Study.","authors":"Jan Ekstrand, Martin Hägglund, Markus Waldén, Håkan Gauffin, Christophe Baudot, Paco Biosca, Markus Braun, Karl Heinrich Dittmar, Dimitrios Kalogiannidis, Steve McNally, Ricard Pruna, Nelson Puga, Max Sala, Luca Stefanini, Peter Ueblacker, Bruno Vanhecke, Maikel van Wijk, Wart Van Zoest, José Maria Villalón Alonso, Armin Spreco","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002182","DOIUrl":"10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002182","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>External risk factors connected to club, team and coaching are believed to be important in the causation of hamstring injuries, but little is known about the preventive measures used. The objective was to analyse the association between preventive factors and hamstring muscle injury burden.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>14 teams participated in the Union of European Football Associations Champions/Europa Leagues from 2019/2020 to 2022/2023. An open question was sent out in January 2023 to the four teams with the lowest hamstring muscle injury burden, asking why their teams had successfully avoided hamstring muscle injuries and which preventive methods they had used. A questionnaire that investigated the use of these methods was sent to all 14 teams in February 2023. A multiple linear regression model was applied, using injury burden as an outcome variable and the questionnaire responses as possible explanatory variables possibly adjusted for team and season.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The preventive methods included factors such as the level of communication between the coach, the medical staff and the performance staff. The adjusted multiple linear regression model indicated that communication between the medical staff and the performance staff was negatively associated with an increased hamstring muscle injury burden, where for every 'higher' grade of the communication variable, the average injury burden decreased by 4.1 (95% CI -8.2 to -0.04, p=0.048) days per 1000 hours.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Better communication between the medical and the performance staff and continuous involvement of the medical staff in load management was associated with a lower hamstring injury burden in male professional football teams.</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"11 1","pages":"e002182"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11877254/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143558424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Riff Ekelschot, Michel Van den Bekerom, Linda Van Maanen-Coppens, Evert Verhagen
{"title":"Descriptive study on injuries and illness in Dutch female adolescent and young adult handball players.","authors":"Riff Ekelschot, Michel Van den Bekerom, Linda Van Maanen-Coppens, Evert Verhagen","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002204","DOIUrl":"10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002204","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study describes the magnitude and burden of injuries and illnesses in elite Dutch female adolescent and young adult handball players.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>A retrospective open cohort study.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>10 consecutive seasons were studied using a database including all injuries and illnesses needing medical attention. In total, 102 handball players, who participated in a full-time programme of the Dutch Handball Academy between August 2009 and July 2019, were included. Injuries were classified according to the consensus statement of the International Olympic Committee. Exposure hours were categorised into training and competition exposure. Training exposure included all handball and strength and conditioning sessions. Burden was defined as the injury duration in days divided by the total exposure hours.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In total, 916 injuries in 101 players and 95 illnesses in 59 players were reported. The average seasonal prevalence was 83.2% for acute injuries and 78.7% for repetitive injuries. The overall incidence rate was 4.24/1000 exposure hours with an incidence of 23.06/1000 competition hours and 2.19/1000 practice hours. The highest average seasonal prevalence and burden were observed for repetitive injuries of the lumbosacral spine, knee and lower leg and acute injuries of the ankle and knee.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>High injury prevalence proportions and competition incidence rates were observed. Repetitive injuries of the lumbosacral spine, knee and lower leg, as well as acute injuries of the knee and ankle, formed the largest problem. Future prevention programmes in elite Dutch adolescent and young adult female handball players should therefore focus on these injuries.</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"11 1","pages":"e002204"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11873340/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143543847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mobina Khabiri, Amir Letafatkar, Mahdi Hosseinzadeh
{"title":"To compare the effect and durability of the effect of corrective exercise and manual therapy focused on the back versus hip on disability, function, pressure pain, pain map, health and psychological status of the elderly with chronic back and hip pain: protocol for a randomised controlled trial.","authors":"Mobina Khabiri, Amir Letafatkar, Mahdi Hosseinzadeh","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2025-002454","DOIUrl":"10.1136/bmjsem-2025-002454","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper presents a protocol for a randomised control trial to compare the effect and durability of the effect of corrective exercise, and manual therapy focused on the back versus hip versus back and hip on disability, function, pressure pain threshold, pressure pain mapping, health and psychological status of the elderly with chronic back and hip pain. A total of 75 elderly participants will be assigned randomly into three groups, including back-focused exercises (n=25), hip-focused exercises (n=25) and back-focused and hip-focused exercises (n=25). Primary outcomes (disability and function) and secondary outcomes (pressure pain threshold, pressure pain mapping, health status and psychological factors) will be evaluated before, immediately after and 6 months after the 8 week exercise intervention. The data will be analysed using a general linear model repeated measures analysis of variance including both within and between factors (three groups*three times) with Bonferroni adjustments used as a post-hoc test at a significant level of 0.05. This trial will demonstrate whether back versus hip versus back-focused and hip-focused manual therapy can better improve the disability, function, pressure pain threshold, pressure pain mapping, health and psychological status of the elderly with chronic back and hip pain. If successful, this study's findings and information will potentially have implications for addressing back and hip pain in the elderly population by an alternative multidisciplinary approach. Trial registration number: IRCT20220911055941N1.</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"11 1","pages":"e002454"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11873352/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143543934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
David Silver, Rachel Faull-Brown, Russell McClusky, Nicola Brown, Stephen Patterson, Keith Stokes, Simon P T Kemp
{"title":"Concussion knowledge and attitude of English youth rugby players: the RUCKAS-YOUTH survey.","authors":"David Silver, Rachel Faull-Brown, Russell McClusky, Nicola Brown, Stephen Patterson, Keith Stokes, Simon P T Kemp","doi":"10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002003","DOIUrl":"10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This cross-sectional study describes the concussion knowledge and attitudes of male and female 14-18 year-old school rugby union players in England.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data from 515 (male 421, female 94) players from 19 schools were collected via the specifically designed Rugby Union Concussion Knowledge and Attitude Survey (RUCKAS-YOUTH) between 2019 and 2022. Knowledge and attitude questions were grouped into themes and analysed against primary cohorts of sex, school status and age group and secondary cohorts of stated Rugby Football Union (RFU) education conduction, concussion history and rugby experience. Associations between knowledge and attitudes were then explored.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>No association between total concussion knowledge and attitude was found. Mean concussion knowledge was 79.3% (26.2/33±2.9). The mean concussion attitude safety score was 76% (129.3/170±14.8). RFU 'Don't Be a HEADCASE' module completion was low (16.9%) and was not associated with concussion knowledge. Private school participants reported significantly safer attitudes towards concussion (77.8%, 132.2±14.0) than state school pupils (74.5%, 126.6±15.1), but not greater concussion knowledge. Male and female participants held similar knowledge and attitudes towards concussion, as did participants across the age spectrum. Concussion attitude safety was significantly greater in players with 7-15 years of playing experience than in the younger cohort (U=27 563.0 p=0.005).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The RUCKAS-YOUTH survey provides a detailed description of UK youth rugby concussion knowledge and attitudes. The survey results indicate that attitudes towards concussion, particularly those that influence symptom disclosure, should be a primary focus of concussion risk reduction interventions once key gaps in knowledge are addressed.</p>","PeriodicalId":47417,"journal":{"name":"BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine","volume":"11 1","pages":"e002003"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11877216/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143558420","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}