title: The efficacy of a movement control exercise programme to reduce injuries in youth rugby: a cluster randomised controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Injuries to youth rugby players have become an increasingly prominent health concern, highlighting the importance of developing and implementing appropriate preventive strategies. A growing body of evidence from other youth sports has demonstrated the efficacy of targeted exercise regimens to reduce injury risk. However, studies have yet to investigate the effect of such interventions in youth contact sport populations like rugby union.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the efficacy of an evidence-based movement control exercise programme compared with a sham exercise programme to reduce injury risk in youth rugby players. Exercise programme compliance between trial arms and the effect of coach attitudes on compliance will also be evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  School rugby coaches in England will be the target of the researcher intervention, with the effects of the injury prevention programmes being measured in male youth players aged 14-18 years in school rugby programmes over the 2015-2016 school winter term.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cluster-randomised controlled trial with schools randomly allocated to either a movement control exercise programme or a sham exercise programme, both of which are coach-delivered. Injury measures will derive from field-based injury surveillance, with match and training exposure and compliance recorded. A questionnaire will be used to evaluate coach attitudes, knowledge, beliefs and behaviours both prior to and on the conclusion of the study period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Summary injury measures (incidence, severity and burden) will be compared between trial arms, as will the influence of coach attitudes on compliance and injury burden. Additionally, changes in these outcomes through using the exercise programmes will be evaluated.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ISRTCNN13422001.
authors.affiliation: Department for Health , University of Bath , Bath , UK.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Hislop
authors.affiliation: Department for Health , University of Bath , Bath , UK.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Stokes
authors.affiliation: Department for Health , University of Bath , Bath , UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Department for Health , University of Bath , Bath , UK.
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: McKay
authors.affiliation: Rugby Football Union , Twickenham , UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: England
authors.affiliation: Rugby Football Union , Twickenham , UK.
authors.forename: S P T
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.affiliation: Department for Health , University of Bath , Bath , UK.
authors.forename: G
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9021-8956
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Trewartha
keywords: Adolescent; Contact sports; Injury; Intervention; Rugby