Pioneering study tackles risk for rugby players
Published on 22/02/2023
A UHB Consultant Neurosurgeon is leading the way in pioneering research on the effectiveness of headgear in reducing brain injury in rugby.
Dr Philip J O’Halloran is the Principal Investigator for the research study, which seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the new N-Pro Headguard on known brain injury biomarkers.
Dr O’Halloran has worked at UHB since February 2022, and has a sub-speciality interest in neurotrauma.
As well as being an internationally recognised key opinion leader in his field, Dr O’Halloran is an independent match day doctor for the English Rugby Premiership and the European Rugby Champions Cup. He is also the Dan Rooney Concussion Fellow and head of research of UPMC sports concussion network in Ireland.
Dr O’Halloran said: “At UHB we see patient with sports brain injuries in our weekly clinic. Players getting the right care, early on, is vital to their recovery and as a result we need to have strong robust data to support these players and their families.
"Studies like this are very important, as they give us unprecedented insights into the brain health of rugby players.
“We are delighted to have such strong support from World Rugby and the Irish Rugby Football Union.”
He added: “We have assembled a worldleading, independent panel of scientific and medical experts in brain health and brain injury to monitor the study; it represents an important piece of the jigsaw of what is an ongoing international collective effort to protect amateur and professional players.”
Alongside Dr O’Halloran, Professor Tony Belli, Professor in Neurotrauma at the Trust, will be working on the study as a co-investigator.
During this study, the team of investigators will use state-of-the-art blood and saliva biomarkers, brain-imaging, instrumented mouthguards and neurocognitive tests, to determine the effectiveness of the headgear.
So far, the N-Pro Headguard has been shown to have impact reducing properties in a laboratory setting.
Now, it is Dr O’Halloran and his team’s task to, independently, put that to the test in the real world.
The study is open to all rugby players over the age of 16 in Ireland and will compare those wearing the new headgear, with those not wearing any.
