One of the most contentious issues surround rugby today is the frequency and severity of concussions in the game. World rugby has tried to combat this with new ruling surrounding high tackles, and this has been successful, with concussion rates falling at the 2019 world cup in Japan in comparison to the previous world cup’s numbers (RTE.ie, 2019). At the 2019 world cup, concussion rates had dropped by 28% and tackle concussions by 37% in comparison with numbers from 2018 (Martin Rafferty, 2020). It is believed that the decrease in these injuries was due to the High Tackle Sanction Framework (HTSF) introduced for the first time at an elite adult level at the tournament. The 2019 world cup saw a 74% increase in yellow cards and a 138% increase in red cards (Martin Rafferty, 2020) from the 2018 world average, demonstrating the effectiveness of the HTSF and positive impact it has had on serious injuries sustained by players.
However, whilst the rates are dropping, concussions are still unfortunately part of the game that is loved worldwide and played by millions. Despite the HTSF and reducing rates of concussions, there were still 10.5 concussions per 1000 player hours - compared to 12.5 at the 2015 world cup - (rubgyworldcup.com, 2019). Mark Ganly, CEO of N-Pro, believes there is still work to be done to protect the players of the game we love.
Txchsport had the pleasure of speaking to Mark recently, to talk about the N-Pro headguard, and about the background of the company.
N-Pro, short for Neuro Protection, is a company assembled with experts in neuroscience, psychology, neuropathology, biomedical engineering, equipment design, and more. It began after Mark Ganly read an interview with John Fogarty, a retired Irish Rugby Union Player. Fogarty was medically advised to retire from the game due to his concussions, of which the last was suffered in September 2010. He is not the only player forced into retirement from this either: Rory Watts-Jones retired at 26 in 2015 and Bernard Jackman in 2010.
The research and development period for the head guard spanned three main stages: bench testing, pre-clinical testing and player study (n-pro.com, 2020).
Previously to the n-pro head guard, ‘the soft-shelled foam-based head guards used in rugby had not shown to any protective effect against mTBI (minor traumatic brain injury) and serve mostly to protect against cuts and abrasions’ (Mark Ganly, 2018). However, Defentex, the material used by N-Pro in their head guard, used a viscoelastic polymer, which can be used for ‘shock absorption and vibration reduction’ (Mark Ganly, 2018). Viscoelastic behaviour is exhibited when the strain on an object is not in phase with the stress, but neither 90° out of phase (Ferry, 1980). The N-Pro head guard was tested against two if the most popular head guards used in rugby in 2018, with a variety of tests used to determine the shock absorption and protective properties of the equipment.
In the testing process, drop tests, pendulum tests and repeated impact tests were used on all three head guards, and the N-Pro was clearly the best performing. Peak linear acceleration in the N-Pro headguard was a 71% and 76% improvement on the other two models. The N-Pro guard also lead to reduced peak linear acceleration for the 2nd head form in the pendulum test, where two head forms collided. comparatively (Mark Ganly, 2018).
The N-Pro head guard boasts impact protection for wearers by up to 75%, supported by the data from the tests conducted (Mark Ganly, 2018).
Another aim of N-Pro is to minimise other issues associated with head gear in rugby. Players have reported struggling with peripheral vision, hearing, ventilation and comfort when using other brands’ head gear. N-Pro have recognised this and have made it a priority of theirs to address these areas of discomfort such that players do not hesitate to use this equipment that may reduce the risk of injury.
World rugby have launched a five-year trial assessing headgear technology (World Rugby, 2020). N-Pro is the first and currently only product approved for the trial by world rugby, with the aim of maximising player safety in the game.
Txchsport have been sent an N-Pro headguard, and have passed it on to a 1st team player at Loughborough University Students Rugby Union for his thoughts on the headguard. Stay tuned on our Instagram page @txchsport for more information about this and other products breaking into the sports technology field.
Bibliography
Ferry, J. D., 1980. Viscoelastic Properties of Polymers. 3rd ed. Toronto: John Wiley & Sons.
Mark Ganly, J. M. M., 2018. New generation of headgear for rugby: impact reduction of linear and rotational forces by a viscoelastic material-based rugby head guard. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 4(464), pp. 1-8.
Martin Rafferty, R. T. E. C. F., 2020. Getting tough on concussion: how welfare-driven law change may improve player safety - a Rugby Union experience. Br J Sports Medicine, 0(0), pp. 1-3.
n-pro.com, 2020. Research and Development. [Online] Available at: https://www.n-pro.com/pages/research-and-development [Accessed 15 11 2020].
RTE.ie, 2019. Concussion rates drop compared with previous World Cup. [Online] Available at: https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby-world-cup-2019/2019/1030/1087462-concussion-rates-drop-compared-with-previous-world-cup/ [Accessed 15 11 2020].
rubgyworldcup.com, 2019. INNOVATIVE RUGBY WORLD CUP 2019 DRIVES BEST-EVER PLAYER WELFARE OUTCOMES. [Online] Available at: https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/news/531156#:~:text=Concussion%20rates%20at%20RWC%202019,concussion%20per%201%2C000%20player%20hours [Accessed 15 11 2020].
World Rugby, 2020. World Rugby Law 4 Headgear Trial. [Online] Available at: https://playerwelfare.worldrugby.org/law-4-headgear-trial [Accessed 15 11 2020].
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