The findings of a study into the long-term physical and psychological health effects of playing elite rugby, community rugby and non-contact sports has not produced the concrete evidence desired regarding concussion, but there are some other interesting results that are worth exploring.
The project took three years for researchers to assess general and neuropsychological health, balance and brain excitability of elite and community rugby players as well as non-contact sport participants from the 1980s to the early 2000s.
Data was gathered through face-to-face lab testing (75-76 participants), online questionnaires (485 participants) and online tests (366 participants).
Although findings regarding concussion were not conclusive, ex-sportsmen with four or more concussions did perform worse in some of the neuropsychological tests - multitasking and speed of information processing, in particular - and rated their current health lower.
Researchers found it difficult to get buy-in from potential participants for reasons that can only be guessed, and it was concluded that the impact of concussion on long-term balance, cognitive brain function and long-term musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health in athletes requires further research.
Research often produces more questions than answers, which is why organisations tend to shy away from longitudinal studies that produce hazy and complicated results.
They opt instead for the three to six-month research project, which suits the fast-paced, results-focused environment of modern-day businesses.
New Zealand Rugby and World Rugby should be commended for taking the plunge and committing to a three-year research project and although they didn't get the clear results they desired regarding the long-term effects of concussion, common sense would suggest a preventive and cautious approach to managing concussion in rugby union is the best approach in the meantime.
And they may have some interesting ''takeaways'' to chew over until then.
A greater percentage of retired sport players, irrespective of the level of contact, rated their own health as good to excellent, were married or in long-term relationships, had higher incomes, and smoked less tobacco and cannabis compared with the New Zealand population norms.
This suggests the potential health and lifestyle benefits of sports participation should continue to be highlighted.
A more concerning finding was that retired elite and community rugby players had more arthritis, cardiovascular issues, health concerns and alcohol-use concerns than retired non-contact sport players.
This justified the recommendation from researchers that injury prevention and management programmes as well as efforts to educate rugby players about the harmful effects of excessive alcohol ingestion should continue.
From personal experience, the attitude that arthritis from old injuries is inevitable is a common assumption in rugby circles.
With the social lubrication of a few drinks, ex-players wherever they are will gather around the lean-to and compare ''war'' wounds from on-field battles, laughing off the pain, discomfort and lack of life quality this debilitating condition can create after the buzz of playing rugby is over.
For that reason, figuring out how to minimise the harmful aspects of sport participation while enhancing the personal and health benefits is an ongoing challenge.
Getting this ultimate result is a bit like longitudinal research - it won't happen overnight, and getting enough evidence to present a fail-safe recipe for a healthy and fulfilling long life will be forever elusive.
Best we care for ourselves in the here and now than wait for research findings to tell us what we already know - we only have one body and one brain. Look after them.
