RFL Confirms Launch of Extensive Research Project in 2022 Season.
The RFL has doubled-down on their commitment to expand head impact monitoring throughout the elite and community level of rugby league. In 2020, Prevent and the Leeds Rhinos developed a strategic partnership to bring instrumented mouthguard technology to the Rugby Football League. Following two successful years of head impact data collection, the Rugby Football League plans to outfit all Super League Men’s & Women, Academy, and a select number of community level teams with instrumented mouthguards for the next 3 years.
In order to select the most capable instrumented mouthguard provider for this Rugby Football League project, the Rugby Football League and Leeds Beckett University have teamed up to conduct an independent analysis of all iMG providers. iMG providers were invited to participate in a 6-month independent review process deemed the TaCKLE Project (Tackle and Contact Kinematic and Load Exposure for Elite and Community Rugby League Athletes), which evaluated each provider based on 4-key areas of focus:
1. Independent Lab-Validation
2. Independent Onfield Validation
3. Athlete Feedback on iMG Fit, Comfort, and Function
4. Practitioner Feedback on System Usability
Following an independent review process, the results of this study (Jones et. Al 2022) will be published in the coming months and Prevent is eager for the comparison findings from this world-class, first of its kind study to be released.
