Most ball sports are relatively safe, according to sports medicine expert Mark Rafe, who has warned against preventing children from participating in response to a spate of serious injuries involving Queensland school boys in rugby games.

Key points: Equestrian far more dangerous than ball sports for spinal injuries, Dr Rafe says

Equestrian far more dangerous than ball sports for spinal injuries, Dr Rafe says Sport an important factor in healthy lifestyles and avoiding heart disease

Sport an important factor in healthy lifestyles and avoiding heart disease Rugby Australia working with Queensland schools to identify any safety issues after injuries

Alexander Clark, 15, remains in intensive care after sustaining a serious neck injury while playing rugby union at Brisbane's Nudgee College on Saturday.

He is one of four Queensland boys to suffer serious neck or spinal injuries in recent weeks.

But Dr Rafe, from Sports Medicine Australia, said such injuries were unusual and he believed the sport remained safe for students.

"It's very, very unusual to have these catastrophic injuries," he said.

Dr Rafe said equestrian activities were by far the most dangerous when it came to catastrophic spinal injuries, based on the rate of participation.

"That's a highly dangerous sport — anytime you jump on horses in particularly cross-country type equestrian," he said.

Dr Rafe said most ball-handling sports were safe and changes to scrum rules in rugby union had helped reduce the rate of injuries.

Alex Clark is in intensive care after he suffered a serious neck injury. ( Supplied: Nudgee College )

"Aussie Rules has the highest sports hospitalisation [among ball sports] but in most of those injuries are going to be lower limb injuries like broken legs, ACL injuries, collarbone fractures and a few concussions," he said.

"So there wouldn't be very many or hardly any neck fractures or major head bleeds or sudden deaths."

He urged parents to remember that sport was an important part of a healthy lifestyle and lowering the risk of heart disease in later life.

"The number one thing that's going to kill men and women is heart disease and strokes," he said.

Dr Rafe said it was important for teenagers to play sport to protect both their hearts and their heads.

"There's also a huge epidemic of depression and anxiety in the population. We know a great mitigator of that is sport and being with your mates," he said.

"Almost everyone gets hurt at some stage, in fact injury rates in most sports are very low."

Dr Rafe said injury rates in most sports were very low. ( Facebook: Brisbane Grammar Rugby )

In response to the spate of Queensland injuries, Rugby Australia has committed to working with schools to identify any safety issues in the game.

Chief executive Raelene Castle said the cases were all different, with the latest injury occurring when the young player was scoring a try.

"We will be looking specifically at the incident to make sure we review it but the families are very supportive and engaged with the review process," Ms Castle said.

"The fact that we've had a cluster in GPS is something that we're concerned about and that's what we will review.

"If anything pops up or we identify anything specific then we will look to change our policies and procedures off the back of that."

Gregory Terrace student Conor Tweedy with Tim Horan (L), suffered neck and spinal injuries in a rugby scrum. ( Supplied: https://conortweedy.com/news-2/ )

Former Wallaby Tim Horan said he supported the introduction of a certificate system for school-aged players who pack down in the front row.

But Dr Rafe said he did not believe further training would help, and urged parents should look at the credentials of coaching staff and referees.

"Make sure that they have a good coach and that's someone who can teach good technique," Dr Rafe said.

He said parents should be comfortable with asking the coach's credentials and they should raise any concerns with the club, association, or school.

"Coaches are volunteers and they're often doing the best they can but within a club or association there has to be a coach education system," he said.