Rugby-specific factors and skin friction injury

Some aspects of rugby where skin injury can occur are controlled and voluntary, such as a player diving in to score and exposing the posterior elbows, forearms, or anterior knees and distal thighs to injury. Many more aspects however are uncontrolled, such as being tackled, making a tackle or involvement in collapsed driving mauls, where skin friction injury can occur at any site including the face.

The playing surface, time of year and weather conditions can all affect the risk of a skin abrasion. Watering the surface may help, but it may quickly evaporate in warmer climates. Some artificial surfaces are treated with antiseptic, but wounds on soil surfaces should be considered as to whether the athlete is appropriately protected against tetanus and may need booster injections or immunoglobulin.

Further information on artificial turf, its regulation, use and player welfare is available here.