Heading in Soccer; the investigation continues
- Created on Sunday, 15 January 2012 11:55
- Last Updated on 11.07.2012
- Published Date
Could heading the ball in soccer lead to degenerative brain disease, like that seen in athletes in other sports? That's the question addressed by a review in the January issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.
As yet there's not clear evidence to link heading to short- or long-term brain injury, according to Dr Alejandro M. Spiotta of the Cleveland Clinic and colleagues. However, while research is ongoing, they stress the need for proper heading technique at all levels of organized soccer.
New Review of Evidence on Heading and Brain Injury Risk in Soccer
Soccer (called football outside the United States) is the only sport in which players use their unprotected heads to intentionally deflect, stop, or redirect the ball. Headed balls travel at high velocity both before and after impact, raising concerns about possible traumatic injury.
In 2002, English footballer Jeffrey Astle, known as a "formidable header," died with degenerative brain disease. The damage was consistent with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE): a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated brain injury, seen in American football players and other athletes. Those reports have prompted concerns about similar risks in soccer players.
Although concussions are common in soccer, they more often result from the head striking another player or the goalpost, rather than heading the ball. But there's still concern about long-term injury related to repetitive trauma from heading.
Detailed biomechanical studies have been performed, showing that heading is a complex task in which significant energy is absorbed by the head. Emphasizing the importance of proper heading technique, studies have shown that anticipation and "pre-tensing" of the neck muscles play a key role in absorbing and redirecting the impact of a headed ball.
Pending Further Research, Emphasis on Proper Heading Technique
Older studies reported symptoms related to heading ("footballers' migraine"), but more recent research has not confirmed those effects. One factor may be the introduction of newer soccer balls that don't absorb moisture—unlike the leather balls used in Jeffrey Astle's day.
Soft headgear has been suggested to protect against soccer-related head injuries, https://h studies have questioned the protective benefits. There are even concerns that wearihttps://gear might even lead to increased injury risk, if players develop a false sense of security.
For now, the data on heading and brain injury "leave us somewhat in the grey zone," according to Dr Spiotta and colleagues. While it's reassuring that there's no clear link to CTE, the potential for long-term brain injury remains. "Even if the cognitive impairment were to be mild, it would still present a major medical and public health concern because of the massive volume of soccer players worldwide," the researchers write. "Any possible detrimental effect…may only become clinically evident decades in the future."
Dr Spiotta and coauthors emphasize the need for further research—including autopsy studies of players in the "light ball" era—to see if there is any similarity to the patterns of brain injury seen in CTE. Meanwhile, "Proper heading technique should continue to be stressed at all levels of play." The authors also highlight the importance of using an age-appropriate ball size for younger soccer players, as they develop the neck strength and posture control needed for proper heading technique.
https://
Source: Newswise reprint; Neurosurgery is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.
Journal Reference:
- Alejandro M. Spiotta, Adam J. Bartsch, Edward C. Benzel. Heading in Soccer. Neurosurgery, 2012; 70 (1): 1 DOI: 10.1227/NEU.0b013e31823021b2
Questions/comments? contact Jean Rickerson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Brain Health
Children and young adults scanned multiple times by computed tomography (CT), a commonly used diagnostic tool, have a small increased risk of leukemia and brain tumors in the decade following their ...
read more...-
Why concussions affect people differently
Bronx, NY — Patients vary widely in their response to concussion, but scientists haven’t unde...
-
Teens miss recovery clues after concussion
PITTSBURGH — When recovering from concussion, young athletes rely too much on how they f...
-
Discovering the roots of migraine
Common questions encountered during the post-concussion exam are often migraine-related. Do you...
Neuroscience
NFL Hall of Famer "Iron Mike" Webster's life ended in 2002 when he suffered a heart attack at age 50. Four Super Bowl rings, nine Pro Bowls, and voted to the NFL's all-time team in 2000, the driven, ...
read more...-
Progesterone seems to protect neurons after injury
It is not yet known why girls suffer concussions at a higher rate than boys. The most prevalent...
-
911 signal relay sends help to brain injury
Like emergency workers rushing to a disaster scene, cells called microglia spe...
-
GPS for the brain; the "connectome"
Athens, Ga.- University of Georgia researchers have developed a map of the human brain that shows...
Resources
- School professionals play an important role in the health of all students. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of concussion is important, as is managing their return to school post-injury.
- Some ...
- https://
- CDC's Concussion Training for Clinicians
-
Concussion Education Video Programs - ...
Parents, athletes, coaches and medical professionals have access to concussion education created...
-
New concussion guidelines for team ...
INDIANAPOLIS – Team physicians who assess and treat athletes suspected of concussion have new ...
The risk of concussions in young football players
Marjorie Albohm President, National Athletic Trainers' Association
quick links
Latest News
Concussions Occur...
...in Any Sport
REMOVE athlete from play
REFER to medical provider
REST no sports, no texting/TV
RETURN only with doctor's OK
Source: Children's Hospital Boston, Sports Concussion Clinic