NEWS

Continuing advances in injury prevention, MLR first to trial LED sensors for concussion monitoring

DALLAS – Major League Rugby, as part of its ongoing efforts to advance prevention, diagnosis and treatment of injuries, has partnered with World Rugby and will be the first to trial LED light technology in its existing smart mouthguards to assist with early recognition of concussions.

Concussion prevention has been one of the league’s major areas of focus in recent years. The concussion protocol is reviewed by the MLR Medical Committee each year to ensure players are receiving care that reflects the most up-to-date medical consensus on the identification, diagnosis and treatment of concussions.

In 2022, MLR moved from Recognize and Remove to the Head Impact Assessment (HIA). This progressed the game from permanently removing the player from the match anytime a suspected concussion occurred to providing the match and team medical staff the opportunity to perform a sideline assessment with the potential to return to play.

In 2024, Instrumented Mouth Guards (IMGs) were introduced in MLR. These smart mouthguards contain a sensor that provides an in-match alert if a player has experienced a high level of acceleration which could lead to a potential injury. This alert is received by the match day doctor so that the player can be removed for an HIA off-field.

For 2025, MLR and World Rugby have partnered to trial LED light technology for speed of recognition of an impact. The LED light will blink red which will add a visual cue for the team medical staff, referee and players to assist with early recognition that a high acceleration event has occurred.

Research has shown that continued participation in sport following a concussion potentially exposes the already injured brain to compounded neuropathophysiologic processes and can prolong the athlete’s recovery.  These equipment upgrades will allow for early recognition, and action on behalf of the medical staff, increasing player safety and shortening recovery times for athletes.

For more information, visit MajorLeague.Rugby.

About Major League Rugby:

Major League Rugby is a professional sports league representing the highest level of rugby competition in North America. MLR prides itself in fostering intense, high-stakes competition while bringing together a passionate community built on the values of Respect, Inclusivity, and Tradition. Matches are televised on the ESPN family of networks and streamed via ESPN+. MLR’s 11 teams span across the country in Anthem RC, Chicago Hounds, Houston SaberCats, Miami Sharks, New England Free Jacks, NOLA Gold, Old Glory DC, Rugby LA, San Diego Legion, Seattle Seawolves and the Utah Warriors. For more information, visit www.Majorleague.Rugby and follow @USMLR on Twitter and Instagram.

The Rugby Network, MLR’s OTT platform, offers fans the ability to stream select MLR matches, along with Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Premiership Women’s Rugby, collegiate rugby and other international rugby content. 

Media Contact:
Johnathan McGinty
706.338.2732
johnathan@trestlecollective.com