Presented by the Spaulding Sports Medicine Special Interest Group
On-Demand
2.0 Hours
Available On-Demand until September 15th, 2029
Rugby and American football both share intense collision forces but demand distinct clinical approaches. This course breaks down the differences in sideline coverage, dangerous tackle mechanisms driving head and neck injuries, and common injury patterns across both sports. Participants will examine in-season versus out-of-season management strategies and functional return-to-sport decision-making, gaining practical insights to optimize care and restore athletes’ functional performance and safe return to play.
Continuing Education Credits Anticipated: APTA (PT), AOTA (OT), BOC (AT)
Pricing
MGB Employees: Free with coupon code and proof of MGB User ID
Click here for coupon code
Non MGB Employees: $50.00
Learning Outcomes – Following this course, participants will be able to:
- Identify three key differences in sideline coverage of a rugby athlete vs an American football athlete
- Identify two key differences in dangerous tackle situations leading to head/neck injuries
- Determine the four most common injuries in American Football and Rugby
- Define at least three considerations when making return to sport decisions for an in-season and out-of-season American Football and Rugby athletes.
Time-Ordered Agenda
- 20-minutes: Rugby 101
- 20-minutes: Head and Neck Injuries;
- 20-minutes: Incidence of injuries in Football vs Rugby
- 20-minutes: Managing Major injuries in Football
- 20-minutes: Managing major injuries in Rugby
- 20-minutes: Return to sport considerations
- 20-minutes: Case Study and Wrap-Up
Micaela St Germain, PT, DPT, SCS, ATC is a Board-Certified Sports Clinical Specialist (SCS) through the American Physical Therapy Association, reflecting advanced expertise in evaluating, rehabilitating, and guiding athletes back to sport. She practices at Spaulding Outpatient in Peabody, treating orthopedic and sports-related conditions with a focus on safe return to competition and performance optimization. She also serves as the team athletic trainer and physical therapist for Mystic River Rugby Club and the NERFU Women’s Select Team (Nor’Easters), providing on-field injury care, rehabilitation, and return-to-play decisions. Her approach emphasizes sport-specific rehabilitation, movement analysis, functional performance testing, progressive return-to-sport programming, and evidence-based techniques, including dry needling. Committed to lifelong learning, Micaela integrates current research and best practices to help athletes maximize performance while reducing injury risk.
Target Audience: Athletic Trainers, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists
Instructional Level: Introductory
Prerequisites: None
Cancellation Policy: Spaulding reserves the right to adjust components of this program or to cancel the program for unexpected occurrences. Notice of changes or cancellation will be provided expediently. Upon cancellation of a course, a refund for the price paid for the course will be given. A processing fee of $10 may be charged when the registrant provides written notice of cancellation of their attendance less than 7 business days prior to the program date. Tuition is non-refundable if the registrant does not provide notice of cancellation at least 7 days prior to the program date. Spaulding apologizes but will not be responsible for inconveniences incurred due to program changes.
Speaker Disclosures: Micaela St Germain is a salaried employee of MGB and a team ATC for the Mystic River Rugby Club and the New England Rugby Football Union. She has no other financial or non-financial disclosures to share.
The Spaulding Rehabilitation (BOC AP#: P2855) is approved by the Board of Certification, Inc. to provide continuing education to Athletic Trainers (ATs). The live program was eligible for a maximum of 2.0 Category A hours/CEUs. ATs should claim only those hours actually spent in the educational program.
The Spaulding Rehabilitation is recognized as an approved provider of continuing education by AOTA. This course is offered for an anticipated .2 AOTA CEUs (Introductory level; OT Service Delivery and Foundational Knowledge category) pending approval. The assignment of AOTA CEU’s does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products or clinical procedures by AOTA.
The Spaulding Rehabilitation is recognized as an approved provider of continuing education by APTA. Information provided should be used within scope of practice. Anticipated 2.0 contact hours/CEHs.
SR Division of Education and Training CEU facilitators Marianne Savastano, MS, CCC-SLP; Katherine MacKirdy, MSPT, GCS, MPH;
Matt Keilty, OTR/L; Debra Abele, RN, DNP; Jeanne Putnam OT, CCM; and Kathleen Crosskill, MS, CCC-SLP
- Enrollment will open on September 16, 2026
