Gloucester Rugby and The Podium Institute to partner on head injury study
All elite male players are taking part in the joint study
Gloucester Rugby and Oxford University teaming up to conduct a multimodal study into head injuries.
The study, facilitated by the Podium Institute, aims to explore the body's physiological response to head injury.
A high-specification mobile MRI scanner is being used to image the players before and after head injury events.
Baseline scans have taken place for all Gloucester Rugby players participating in the study during the pre-season period and will be compared to scans in non-elite control groups in contact and non-contact sports.
The MRI scans will be complemented by video footage and head acceleration data from the instrumented mouthguards players currently use, to explore what happens when a player experiences a head injury.
Other tests being used to asses physiological responses include electroencephalography (EEG), pupillometry, eye-tracking, neck strength, a portable balance system; and point-of-care blood and saliva.
Professor Constantin Coussios OBE FREng FMedSci, Director of The Podium Institute at the University of Oxford, who has led the study said:
“While conventional CT and MRI scans often appear ‘normal’ following head injury, advanced MRI techniques have shown early promise in physiological assessment of the brain and could potentially aid in the diagnosis and long-term management of athletes.
“However, logistical constraints, such as most MRI scanners being in hospitals and research institutions, have restricted previous research to scans taken one or several days after the injury, and imaging within a few hours after head injury has never been attempted.
“Therefore, our current understanding of the early phases of head injury has been limited due to these logistical challenges for all sports.
“Knowledge about this phase is essential for developing more accurate diagnostic tools, and to better understand potential areas for early intervention and rehabilitation.”
Gloucester Rugby CEO, Alex Brown, said: “Player safety is the number one priority for our sport.
“While physicality and specifically, contact, is part of the game, it is the responsibility of all of us to make sure we are doing everything possible to protect our players, regardless of that fact.
“I would like to thank Andy Hunt, the Podium Institute, Oxford University, and the Gloucester Rugby Medical Department, for their dedication and expertise on this important project.”