Compromised visuomotor processing speed in players of Rugby Union from school through to the national adult level

The aim of this study was to investigate the residual effects of concussion amongst players of Rugby Union from school through to the national adult level, with pre-season testing on tests of visuomotor processing speed (Digit Symbol; Trail Making Test A and B). Comparison groups included 124 male rugby players versus 102 non-contact sport controls; 71 forward versus 53 backline players. Across groups there was equivalence for age, education, estimated IQ, and hand motor dexterity. There was a significantly higher percentage of rugby players with 2+ concussions than controls. Poorer performance was in evidence for rugby players compared with controls on all tests of visuomotor speed, and for forward versus backline players on Digit Symbol, with clinically relevant medium effect sizes. The results implicate vulnerability amongst rugby players on the prototypically sensitive function of visuomotor processing in association with years of exposure to repetitive concussive and subconcussive injury.