Age-related changes in the cervical spines of front-line rugby players

Cervical spine trauma occurs frequently in front-line rugby players. To eva luate the accumulative effects of this trauma, magnetic resonance imaging s cans of the cervical spine were performed on 47 rugby players and 40 age-ma tched control subjects. The aim of this study was to compare the changes in the cervical spine of players at different points in their careers. A stud y of cervical spine changes, including spinal curve, spinal constituents, p osttraumatic deformities, and degenerative modifications, was completed by a study of cervical measurements. Front-line rugby players showed more earl y degenerative alterations on magnetic resonance imaging scans than did the control subjects of the same age. These changes correlated with age and we re probably linked with repetitive cervical trauma throughout the players' careers. Particular attention should be paid to the data confirming cervica l spine canal stenosis in front-line players, which may place these athlete s at risk for acute neurapraxia while playing this collision sport.