Protective neck equipment when playing hurling and camogie is needed as related injuries can be potentially fatal, a new study shows.
Such injuries also known as laryngeal are uncommon but pose a serious risk to the voice and airway of athletes who sustain blunt neck trauma.
The study, Hurling and Camogie Related Blunt Laryngeal Trauma, published in this month’s Irish Medical Journal, found that protective equipment should be urgently considered by the governing sports body.
Symptoms after blunt trauma to the neck, highlight how they can be subtle and delayed in onset. Sports physicians should be attentive to even minor anterior neck trauma and not be distracted by other more obvious facial and neck injuries and be carried out by experienced medical practitioners.