Rugby union should ban contested scrums: Engage, don't ban

doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7554.1391-c

BMJ 2006;332:1391-1392 (10 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7554.1391-c

Letter

Rugby union should ban contested scrums

Engage, don't ban

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—With reference to Bourke's personal view,¹ I cautionrelying on personal experience rather than systematic studyof the risk from contested scrums in rugby. In my six yearsin rehabilitation medicine, I have encountered six people withspinal cord injuries from playing rugby, one of whom was rugbyleague, and only one was injured in a scrum. At various timessince their injury, not one regretted having played rugby andjust felt they were the "unlucky" ones.

During my comparatively short career I have encountered hundredsof people with spinal injuries from road traffic crashes, manywho regret the risks they took at the time. Although it is difficultto draw direct risk comparisons between the two, I will be muchmore concerned when my children want to start driving than whenthey want to play rugby, even in a scrum. If there is a riskwith the . . . [Full text of this article]

John J Macfarlane, consultant in rehabilitation medicine

Hunters Moor Regional Rehabilitation Centre, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4NR jjmacf@hotmail.com