A third of professional rugby players have suffered either moderate or severe vertebral fractures. These shocking statistics were found to be the same across both league and union.
These findings have come from a joint research project between Leeds Met and Newcastle University in Britain and Griffith University in Australia. The stats have surprised researchers, who had perviously believed that serious spinal fractures were rare. Rugby players have high bone density, which is associated with strong bones and the fractures identified were more associated with osteoporosis or brittle bones.