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Background <p>Rugby league tackles are a primary mechanism for head injuries, yet there is limited evidence on tackle-specific head kinematics in professional women’s rugby league players.</p> Objectives <p>We aimed to identify factors that predict the ball carrier and the tackler inertial head kinematics in professional women rugby league players during self-selected, front-on, one-on-one tackles.</p> Methods <p>Nineteen professional women’s rugby league players had their inertial head kinematics and the instantaneous resultant speed measured by a three-dimensional optoelectronic motion capture system during front-on, one-on-one tackles. Players were instructed to perform their own self-selected tackles over (i.e. ‘smother’ tackle) and under the ball (i.e. ‘dominant’ tackle) that they would use in-game. A generalised linear mixed model using a backward elimination method was used to predict peak inertial head kinematics.</p> Results <p>Peak resultant linear (<i>g</i>) and angular (deg/s<sup>2</sup>) head accelerations in both the tackler and ball carrier were significantly predicted by tackle type (smother vs dominant; <i>p</i> ≤ 0.02) and a faster speed of the tackler (<i>p</i> ≤ 0.02). Higher resultant peak acceleration was predicted when the tackler’s head contacted the ball carrier’s body (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001) and was significantly correlated if the ball carrier showed whiplash-like mechanics after contact (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.01).</p> Conclusions <p>Tacklers should ensure their head alignment is positioned outside of the ball carrier’s body to avoid direct body contact to reduce their risk of high inertial head kinematics. When coaches observe signs of whiplash-like mechanics, in a ball carrier during a tackle, they can use this visual cue to identify and then coach athletes how to brace better for impact. Caution is advised when considering a simplistic approach such as reducing tackle height to mitigate peak resultant head accelerations, as this strategy may reduce the impact on the ball carrier but increase the impact on the tackler.</p>

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Inertial Head Accelerations in Front-On, One-on-One Tackles in Professional Women Rugby League Players

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年12月4日

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  • Georgia Page,
  • Andrew J. Gardner,
  • Suzanne J. Snodgrass,
  • Ken Quarrie,
  • Timana Tahu,
  • Oscar Stelzer-Hiller,
  • Suzi Edwards

摘要

Background

Rugby league tackles are a primary mechanism for head injuries, yet there is limited evidence on tackle-specific head kinematics in professional women’s rugby league players.

Objectives

We aimed to identify factors that predict the ball carrier and the tackler inertial head kinematics in professional women rugby league players during self-selected, front-on, one-on-one tackles.

Methods

Nineteen professional women’s rugby league players had their inertial head kinematics and the instantaneous resultant speed measured by a three-dimensional optoelectronic motion capture system during front-on, one-on-one tackles. Players were instructed to perform their own self-selected tackles over (i.e. ‘smother’ tackle) and under the ball (i.e. ‘dominant’ tackle) that they would use in-game. A generalised linear mixed model using a backward elimination method was used to predict peak inertial head kinematics.

Results

Peak resultant linear (g) and angular (deg/s2) head accelerations in both the tackler and ball carrier were significantly predicted by tackle type (smother vs dominant; p ≤ 0.02) and a faster speed of the tackler (p ≤ 0.02). Higher resultant peak acceleration was predicted when the tackler’s head contacted the ball carrier’s body (p < 0.001) and was significantly correlated if the ball carrier showed whiplash-like mechanics after contact (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Tacklers should ensure their head alignment is positioned outside of the ball carrier’s body to avoid direct body contact to reduce their risk of high inertial head kinematics. When coaches observe signs of whiplash-like mechanics, in a ball carrier during a tackle, they can use this visual cue to identify and then coach athletes how to brace better for impact. Caution is advised when considering a simplistic approach such as reducing tackle height to mitigate peak resultant head accelerations, as this strategy may reduce the impact on the ball carrier but increase the impact on the tackler.