Effective working processes employed by a multidisciplinary team to reduce injury outcomes in a professional rugby league academy

Introduction: Injury causation is a complex phenomenon that results from the interaction of a wide variety of risk factors in a complex web of determinants1. Due to this inherent complexity, the skills required to effectively reduce injury risk do not lie within a single domain of professional practice. In professional team sport managing injury risk depends on the effective collaboration of technical/tactical coaches, strength and conditioning coaches, sports medicine practitioners and sport scientists within a multidisciplinary team (MDT), yet to date no research has examined how these professionals might co-ordinate their efforts. The aim of this research is to examine the processes and interactions utilized by a demonstrably effective MDT. Methods: This research utilised a mixed methods design incorporating both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The efficacy of the MDT was established by quantifying the injury burden of the team across two seasons. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with all MDT members at the end of the second season, to determine each individual’s role within the injury prevention process and how these were co-ordinated between disciplines. Interviews were thematically analysed to provide insight into the approach adopted by the MDT. . Results and discussion: The MDT achieved a 41% reduction in team injury burden during the second season in question (first season 3 450 vs. second season 1428 days/1 000 hours). This report assesses how this improvement in injury burden was achieved by examining: (1) the processes and communication strategies adopted by the MDT (both formal and informal), (2) the information that practitioners used to inform decision making processes, (3) and the attitudes and values that allowed professionals from alternative disciplines to work together as a coherent collective. Conclusions: This research offers insights into “how” effective MDT’s work to achieve injury reduction, and the models and processes presented will inform practice for other MDT’s working in sport. References: 1. Bittencourt, N.F.N., Meeuwisse, W.H., Mendonça, L.D., Nettel-Aguirre, A., Ocarino, J.M. and Fonseca, S.T., 2016. Complex systems approach for sports injuries: moving from risk factor identification to injury pattern recognition—narrative review and new concept. Br J Sports Med, 50:1309–1314