The Effect of Sub-Concussive Impacts during a Rugby Tackling Drill on Brain Function
Concussion is known to detrimentally affect brain health. Rugby tackles commonly occur with high collision force between tackler and ball carrier, and low impact head contact is not uncommon. Cognitive deficits following a bout of soccer ball heading has been attributed to the impact and termed sub-...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Brain Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/10/12/960 |
| _version_ | 1797545113023414272 |
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| author | Colm McNabb Tahere Reha Julia Georgieva Angela Jacques Kevin Netto Andrew P. Lavender |
| author_facet | Colm McNabb Tahere Reha Julia Georgieva Angela Jacques Kevin Netto Andrew P. Lavender |
| author_sort | Colm McNabb |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Concussion is known to detrimentally affect brain health. Rugby tackles commonly occur with high collision force between tackler and ball carrier, and low impact head contact is not uncommon. Cognitive deficits following a bout of soccer ball heading has been attributed to the impact and termed sub-concussion. Although soccer ball heading studies provide evidence for acute effects of sub-concussion, it is unknown whether this phenomenon occurs following rugby tackles. This study investigates the acute effects of rugby tackles on brain function and balance in rugby players. Twenty-six volunteers were assigned to either the ball carrier (9), tackler (9) or control (8) group. Controls performed running without the tackle. Outcome measures included corticomotor function using transcranial magnetic brain stimulation (TMS) and balance was assessed by a series of tasks performed on a NeuroCom Balance Master before and immediately after a tackle training drill. Following the tackling bout, the cortical silent period (cSP) increased for the tacklers with no change for ball carrier and control groups, and no differences between groups for balance measures were observed. Lengthening of cSP observed in the tacklers following the bout has been reported in studies of concussion and may indicate long term detrimental effects. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:10:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8b231d453f2e485a95dbc638bdfefeb3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T14:10:50Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-8b231d453f2e485a95dbc638bdfefeb32023-11-21T00:11:04ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252020-12-01101296010.3390/brainsci10120960The Effect of Sub-Concussive Impacts during a Rugby Tackling Drill on Brain FunctionColm McNabb0Tahere Reha1Julia Georgieva2Angela Jacques3Kevin Netto4Andrew P. Lavender5School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, AustraliaSchool of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, AustraliaSchool of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, AustraliaSchool of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, AustraliaSchool of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, AustraliaSchool of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, AustraliaConcussion is known to detrimentally affect brain health. Rugby tackles commonly occur with high collision force between tackler and ball carrier, and low impact head contact is not uncommon. Cognitive deficits following a bout of soccer ball heading has been attributed to the impact and termed sub-concussion. Although soccer ball heading studies provide evidence for acute effects of sub-concussion, it is unknown whether this phenomenon occurs following rugby tackles. This study investigates the acute effects of rugby tackles on brain function and balance in rugby players. Twenty-six volunteers were assigned to either the ball carrier (9), tackler (9) or control (8) group. Controls performed running without the tackle. Outcome measures included corticomotor function using transcranial magnetic brain stimulation (TMS) and balance was assessed by a series of tasks performed on a NeuroCom Balance Master before and immediately after a tackle training drill. Following the tackling bout, the cortical silent period (cSP) increased for the tacklers with no change for ball carrier and control groups, and no differences between groups for balance measures were observed. Lengthening of cSP observed in the tacklers following the bout has been reported in studies of concussion and may indicate long term detrimental effects.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/10/12/960balancebrain functionconcussionsub-concussionrugbytranscranial magnetic stimulation |
| spellingShingle | Colm McNabb Tahere Reha Julia Georgieva Angela Jacques Kevin Netto Andrew P. Lavender The Effect of Sub-Concussive Impacts during a Rugby Tackling Drill on Brain Function Brain Sciences balance brain function concussion sub-concussion rugby transcranial magnetic stimulation |
| title | The Effect of Sub-Concussive Impacts during a Rugby Tackling Drill on Brain Function |
| title_full | The Effect of Sub-Concussive Impacts during a Rugby Tackling Drill on Brain Function |
| title_fullStr | The Effect of Sub-Concussive Impacts during a Rugby Tackling Drill on Brain Function |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effect of Sub-Concussive Impacts during a Rugby Tackling Drill on Brain Function |
| title_short | The Effect of Sub-Concussive Impacts during a Rugby Tackling Drill on Brain Function |
| title_sort | effect of sub concussive impacts during a rugby tackling drill on brain function |
| topic | balance brain function concussion sub-concussion rugby transcranial magnetic stimulation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/10/12/960 |
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