Gloucester Rugby and Oxford University launch pioneering new head injury study

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.

“We are grateful to Gloucester Rugby for their commitment to player welfare, and to the players for their consent to undertake this study, which we hope, will be helpful in aiding the existing safety measures in place.”

“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.”

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