How rugby and the NFL found common ground on concussion

Both rugby and American football have discovered that when it comes to head trauma, it is the tackler who is most in danger

In an equation of physics and physiology, collisions plus big, fast, athletic bodies equals concussions. But while the risk can’t be eliminated, it can be lowered. With that common goal, a group of international sport representatives – including the NFL, World Rugby, NHL and AFL – gathered at the Collision Sports Conference this October. The meeting gave the various sports leagues the opportunity to share research and collaborate on improving player health and safety. High on that list was research into concussion.

Pads or no pads, like the NFL, rugby is in the process of understanding how concussions occur, and from that, how to prevent them. Rugby hasn’t taken that assignment lightly. Research from the conference, presented by Dr Ross Tucker, a sports science researcher for World Rugby, detailed the study of video from 611 head injuries. “We have the responsibility to make the game safer,” said Dr Martin Raftery, chief medical officer for World Rugby and part of the research team. “Since we have control over the rules of the sport.”

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from US news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2E25TJI