Comparative cervical profiles of adult and under-18 front-row rugby players: implications for playing policy.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To compare the cervical isometric strength, fatigue endurance and range of motion of adult and under-18 age-grade front-row rugby players to inform the development of a safe age group policy with particular reference to scrummaging.

Design

Cross-sectional cohort study.

Setting

'Field testing' at Murrayfield stadium.

Participants

30 high-performance under-18 players and 22 adult front-row rugby players.

Outcome measures

Isometric neck strength, height, weight and grip strength.

Results

Youth players demonstrated the same height and grip strength as the adult players; however, the adults were significantly heavier and demonstrated substantially greater isometric strength (p<0.001). Only two of the 'elite' younger players could match the ad

SUBMITTER: Hamilton DF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4025467 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature