Logo of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (Br)
Quick search:        
          Advanced Search
Guest Access | Sign In
Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery - British Volume, Vol 88-B, Issue 6, 771-775.
doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.88B6.17388  
Copyright © 2006 by British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow View responses
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow My Folders
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Web of Science (4)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Shelly, M. J.
Right arrow Articles by O’Byrne, J. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Shelly, M. J.
Right arrow Articles by O’Byrne, J. M.

Spinal injuries in Irish rugby

A TEN-YEAR REVIEW

M. J. Shelly, MRCSI, Lecturer in Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery1; J. S. Butler, MB BCh, BAO, Orthopaedic Research Fellow1; M. Timlin, MCh, MRCSI, Specialist Registrar in Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery1; M. G. Walsh, FRCSI, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon1; A. R. Poynton, MD, FRCSI(Tr & Orth), Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon1; and J. M. O’Byrne, MCh, FRCSI, Abraham Colles Professor of Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery2

1 National Spinal Injuries Unit, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Eccle Street, Dublin 7, Ireland.
2 RCSI Professorial Unit, Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital, Finglas, Dublin 11, Ireland.

Correspondence should be sent to Dr M. J. Shelly; e-mail: martinshelly{at}eircom.net

This study assessed the frequency of acute injury to the spinal cord in Irish Rugby over a period of ten years, between 1995 and 2004. There were 12 such injuries; 11 were cervical and one was thoracic. Ten occurred in adults and two in schoolboys. All were males playing Rugby Union and the mean age at injury was 21.6 years (16 to 36). The most common mechanism of injury was hyperflexion of the cervical spine and the players injured most frequently were playing at full back, hooker or on the wing. Most injuries were sustained during the tackle phase of play. Six players felt their injury was preventable. Eight are permanently disabled as a result of their injury.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J Bone Joint Surg BrHome page
J. Andrews, A. Jones, P. R. Davies, J. Howes, and S. Ahuja
Is return to professional rugby union likely after anterior cervical spinal surgery?
J Bone Joint Surg Br, May 1, 2008; 90-B(5): 619 - 621.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

eLetters:

Read all eLetters

Law change in rugby after spinal injury
Paul D Hamilton, et al.
J Bone Joint Surg Br Online, 21 Jun 2006 [Full text]
Spinal injuries due to scrum engagement in Australian rugby
Paul T Haylen
J Bone Joint Surg Br Online, 15 Sep 2006 [Full text]

(c) British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery All Rights Reserved
Registered charity no: 209299     Print ISSN: 0301-620X
Hip, Knee, Trauma, Upper limb, Foot & Ankle, Paediatrics, Oncology, Spine, Arthroplasty, General