A pioneering technological advancement is revolutionizing the world of rugby, particularly in the realm of aiding female athletes in the meticulous monitoring and management of concussion symptoms. Given the prevalence of this injury within the sport, the paramount goal of rugby governing bodies is to mitigate the risk and effectively address both the short-term and long-term implications of concussion.
Conducted by researchers at the University of Birmingham, a study has revealed that female athletes may be more susceptible to experiencing a higher frequency of concussions, as well as more severe and persistent symptoms, in comparison to their male counterparts. The research pinpointed the fluctuation in hormone levels during the menstrual cycle as a significant contributing factor.
In light of these findings, a novel technology has been introduced to facilitate an in-depth analysis of the correlation between the menstrual cycle and concussion, with the ultimate objective of enhancing the monitoring and management of concussion symptoms.
Spearheaded by Vodafone, the Founding Principal Partner of Wales Women’s and Girls’ Rugby, this pioneering initiative has integrated the technology into their innovative PLAYER.Connect platform. By collecting real-time data from athletes’ wearable devices, this platform enables instantaneous analysis of the information.
For the first time outside of a research environment, this technology allows for players’ concussion data to be viewed alongside their menstrual cycle data. This integration significantly increases the frequency and speed at which concussion data can be captured and analysed.
According to Joanna Perkins, Head Physiotherapist of Wales Women, “The technology provides us with real-time information on our athletes and their symptoms, including their cycle phases and any potential concussion symptoms. This allows us to intervene more easily and capture trends for individual players. It’s incredibly useful information to have and act on.”
Since November 2023, the Wales Women’s Rugby Team has been rigorously testing the concussion tracking module in preparation for the 2024 Guinness Women’s Six Nations, and will continue to do so throughout the tournament and beyond.
In addition to the concussion tracking module, Vodafone PLAYER.Connect also encompasses a menstrual cycle tracking module, which has been in use by Wales Women’s Senior and Pathway teams since February 2023. This module captures data on players’ performance, menstrual cycle phases, and mental and physical well-being through automated input from players and coaches.
Hannah Jones, Wales Women’s Captain, voiced her excitement for the technology, affirming, “Concussion monitoring is really important for players, so being able to track and monitor this type of data through this is amazing. The app gives us the ability to see if a player’s symptoms are caused by a concussion or by the phases of their menstrual cycle. This helps us, the staff, and our coaches to better manage our health, well-being, and ultimately our performance out on the pitch.”
According to John Mulcahy, Performance Consultant at Vodafone PLAYER.Connect, “The addition of the concussion module is really significant. It’s the first time outside of a research environment that we’ve been able to get holistic data that looks at how the menstrual cycle might affect their [concussion] recovery and their symptoms.”
On the whole, this trailblazing technology is poised to revolutionize the sphere of female athletics, offering unprecedented methods to monitor and manage concussion symptoms. As such pioneering advancements continue to surface, the future of sports and athlete care undeniably looks promising.