New research published in the November 2024 edition of the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport (JSAMS) has found that male and female elite rugby league players suffer similar injury rates but men experience more severe injuries.

The head and face was the most injured location, and knee injuries had the highest injury burden for both men and women, the research found.

Lead researcher Sean Scantlebury of the Carnegie School of Sports, Leeds Beckett University, UK, said: “Preventing head/face and knee injuries should be a priority at all levels — from league rules to training for players and coaches — and that men and women should be considered equally.”

Being tackled was the most common injury mechanism for both men and women, the researchers found.

The research, a two-season analysis of match injuries in elite men and women’s (Super League) rugby league, recommended that future research should seek to identify causal mechanisms behind head/face and knee injuries before attempting to reduce these injuries through interventions at league (via laws), player, and coach level.

The study is published in the November 2024 edition of the the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport.

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About JSAMS

The Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport (JSAMS) is published by Sports Medicine Australia.

The journal provides high-quality, original research papers to keep Sports Medicine Australia members and subscribers informed of developments in the areas of sports exercise and medicine, sports injury, physical activity, and sports exercise and science.