# Epidemiological Study of Injuries in the Spanish Men's Senior National Rugby XV Team
## 4 Discussion  
This is the first epidemiological study on injuries sustained by the players of a Tier 1 performance category level like the Spanish Men's Senior National Rugby XV team during international competition. Most injuries occurred in competition matches with 100 injuries per each 1000 ph. These results are similar to those reported in professional rugby, varying between 79.4 injuries per 1000 ph in the World Cup 2019 [25], 87 injuries per 1000 ph in the English Premiership [9], and 241 injuries per 1000 ph in Super Rugby South African Team [5], or in semi-professional rugby in teams from Wales, with an incidence of 99.8 injuries per 1000 ph [26]. These results are higher than those found in amateur or junior rugby, where the injury rate lies between 23.7 and 46.8 injuries per 1000 ph [3,8]. They are also similar to injuries reported for the Spanish under 18's and under 20's [20]. Yet even \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline \hline  & **Events** & **n (\%)** & \
\begin{tabular}{c} **Incidence Injury** \\ **(95\% CI)** \\ \end{tabular} &
\begin{tabular}{c} **Injury Burden** \\ **(95\% CI)** \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Tackle**} & **Being Tackle** & 7 (29.2) & \(50.0\) & \(1120.0\) \\  & **Tackling** & 5 (20) & (22.4–77.5) & (721.0–1518.9) \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Maul**} & \multirow{2}{*}{2 (8.3)} & 8.3 & \(158.3\) \\  & & (0–19.8) & (112.1–204.5) \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Ruck**} & \multirow{2}{*}{4(16.7)} & 16.7 & \(520.0\) \\  & & (0.47–32.8) & (456.7–583.2) \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Scrum**} & \multirow{2}{*}{1 (4.2)} & 4.2 & \(58.3\) \\  & & (0–12.3) & (28.6–87.9) \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Collision**} & \multirow{2}{*}{4 (16.7)} & 16.7 & \(441.6\) \\  & & (0.47–32.8) & (378.8–504.4) \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Otros**} & \multirow{2}{*}{1 (4.2)} & 4.2 & \(183.3\) \\  & & (0–12.3) & (134.3–232.2) \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Total**} & \multirow{2}{*}{24 (100)} & 100.0 & \(2480.0\) \\  & & (62.0–137.9) & (1933.6–3026.3) \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 4: Events associated with match injuries. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Match Quarter** & **n (\%)** & \begin{tabular}{c} **Incidence Injury** \\ **(95\% CI)** \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} **Injury Burden** \\ **(95\% CI)** \\ \end{tabular} & \begin{tabular}{c} **Days-Lost** \\ **Mean (DS)** \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**First Quarter**} & \multirow{2}{*}{3 (12.5)} & 12.5 & 607.5 & 48.6 (\(\pm\)41.1) \\  & & (0–26.5) & (545.7–669.2) & 48.6 (\(\pm\)41.1) \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Second Quarter**} & \multirow{2}{*}{8 (33.3)} & 33.3 & 733.3 & \multirow{2}{*}{22.0 (\(\pm\)12.9)} \\  & & (10.6–56.0) & (677.3–789.2) & \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Third Quarter**} & \multirow{2}{*}{6 (25.0)} & 25.0 & 595.0 & \multirow{2}{*}{23.8 (\(\pm\)12.8)} \\  & & (5.2–44.7) & (532.8–657.1) & \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Fourth Quarter**} & \multirow{2}{*}{7 (29.2)} & 29.2 & 539.5 & \multirow{2}{*}{18.5 (\(\pm\)14.8)} \\  & & (7.8–50.4) & (476.5–602.6) & \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Substitution**} & \multirow{2}{*}{n (\%)} & \begin{tabular}{c} Incidence injury \\ (95\% CI) \\ \end{tabular} & \
\begin{tabular}{c} Injury Burden \\ (95\% CI) \\ \end{tabular} &
\begin{tabular}{c} Days-lost \\ Mean (SD) \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**No substitution**} & \multirow{2}{*}{2 (8.3)} & 8.3 & 79.1 & \multirow{2}{*}{9.5 (\(\pm\)3.5)} \\  & & (0–19.8) & (45.0–113.3) & \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Inmediate substitution**} & \multirow{2}{*}{\(13\) (54.2)} & 54.2 & \(1841.6\) & \multirow{2}{*}{34.0 (\(\pm\)21.2)} \\  & & (25.5–82.2) & (1351.2–2332.0) & \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Delayed substitution**} & \multirow{2}{*}{9 (37.5)} & 37.5 & 551.2 & \multirow{2}{*}{14.7 (\(\pm\)10.3)} \\  & & (13.4–61.5) & (488.3–614.1) & \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 5: Injuries by match quarter and substitution.