SPINAL-INJURIES IN NEW-ZEALAND RUGBY AND RUGBY LEAGUE - A 20 YEAR SURVEY

Aims. To establish trends in frequency of serious spinal cord injuries in rugby and rugby league over a 20 year period and to elucidate patt erns of injury from retrospective analysis of cases admitted to New Ze aland's two spinal injuries units. Methods. A detailed survey of unit records with follow-up of selected patients; statistical analysis of d ata. Results. During the 20 years 1976 to 1995, 119 rugby and 22 rugby league players (total 141) were admitted to New Zealand's two spinal injuries units suffering serious spinal injuries and 47 of these becam e permanently confined to wheelchairs. There was a steady increase in frequency throughout the period studied. Of the injuries 83% occurred in forwards and 17% in backs. In rugby it was the scrum which produced most injuries, and in rugby league it was the tackle. The early seaso n month of April produced most spinal injuries. In the eighteen months since intense compulsory educational programmes on safety were introd uced by the New Zealand Rugby Union there have been no serious spinal cord injuries from rugby scrums. Conclusion. Contrary to widespread be lief, there has not been a decrease in spinal cord injuries in rugby f ollowing rule changes in the mid 1980s. The information produced by th is retrospective study has been an effective educational platform to m ake rugby and rugby league safer.