what are the connected mouthguards worn by athletes used for?

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Many players have appeared on the field of the Rugby World Cup, which kicked off this weekend in New Zealand, equipped with a “smart” or “connected” mouth guard. It is World Rugby, the international federation organizing the event, which is at the origin of this experience which will last until the end of the competition, on November 12.

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World Rugby has offered all the participating teams this technological equipment which aims to measure and study the head shocks suffered by players in matches or in training. The results will be revealed by the end of the year.

The principle of the study launched with the New Zealand University of Otago is therefore to record the movements of the head and the shocks received via small sensors, accelerometers integrated into the mouth guards. “This way we will be able to see precisely what type of impact leads to what type of injury”assures Alan Gilpin, the managing director of World Rugby.

“All shocks will be registered either on the ball carrier or on the player making the tackle.”

Alan Gilpin, Managing Director of World Rugby

at franceinfo

The objective is clear: to make the practice of rugby safer, even if it means modifying the rules if necessary. The study, of an unprecedented scale, also involves 700 amateur players in New Zealand and a few professional clubs, such as Clermont, whose doctor Rémi Gaulmin, is impatiently awaiting the results. “We need objective data. That’s what’s missing the most when we want to put things in place, so as not to do it with a wet finger, he explains. Indeed the goal is to see which training phases can be the most accident-prone. And suddenly, to be able to change the exercises.

Clermont has also just started a study on biomarkers, enzymes present in the blood, which would eventually make it possible to diagnose with certainty the concussion, its evolution and the complete recovery or not of the player for his return or not to the field.

In addition, World Rugby has also set up on this Women’s World Cup in New Zealand, support for the mental health of all participants, players but also staff or referees.

Women’s Rugby World Cup: what are the connected mouthguards worn by athletes for? – the report by Fanny Lechevestrier

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