The recent study conducted by the Minds Matter Concussion Program at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) challenges previous associations between repeatedly hitting a soccer ball using the head and long-term brain health issues in professional players.
The study, titled "Neurophysiological Effects of Repeated Soccer Heading in Youth " published in the Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, focused on teenagers and found that a few repeated soccer headers, comparable to a throw-in, did not lead to immediate neurophysiological deficits.
Juventus' Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo heads the ball as he warms up prior to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second-leg football match Juventus vs Atletico Madrid on March 12, 2019 at the Juventus stadium in Turin.
Potential Issues in Soccer Heading
Repeated head loading in sports, such as using the head in soccer, has been linked to long-term negative brain health for professional athletes, even in the absence of immediate symptoms. However, the short-term neurophysiological effects of repeated head impacts, specifically soccer heading, in youth athletes have not been well understood.
According to Science Daily, previous studies have indicated potential issues throughout a sports season. To shed light on this matter, the current study aimed to assess the consequences of repeated head impacts shortly after heading exposure, with six different tests to explore various clinical implications.
To address concerns surrounding soccer heading, several guidelines were implemented by sports organizations. The US Soccer Federation set limits on header practice time and the number of headers per week for teenage players, while the English Premier League restricted high-force headers to a maximum of 10 per week in practice.
This laboratory study simulated these guidelines by conducting 10 repeated soccer headers within a single session, involving experienced teenage players. A thorough analysis led the researchers to the conclusion that this procedure did not result in acute neurophysiological difficulties.
The study did not evaluate the long-term safety of regular soccer heading throughout a season or a player's scholastic career. Dr. Colin Huber, the study's first author, highlighted the concerns expressed by parents, caregivers, and coaches regarding the potential long-term impacts of soccer heading.
The goal of the study was to replicate these effects in a controlled laboratory environment and expand upon previous research to quantitatively evaluate the neurophysiological effects of repeated soccer heading.
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Limited Use of the Head To Hit a Soccer Ball May Not Cause Irreversible Brain Injury
As per the news release, the study involved 19 participants aged 13 to 18, consisting of 17 males and 2 females. They were divided into three groups: frontal heading, oblique heading, and a control group performing kicks.
The participants underwent neurophysiological assessments before, immediately after, and approximately 24 hours after completing 10 headers or kicks. These assessments included various tests to measure eye movements, pupil response, and balance.
The results indicated that neither the frontal heading group nor the oblique heading group showed any neurophysiological issues compared to the control group performing kicks, even when considering the six different assessments conducted.
Oblique headers, on the other hand, resulted in higher degrees of angular head motion, which is related with concussions and other brain damage. This emphasizes the significance of good training to ensure that players learn to head the ball frontally, lowering the chance of injury.
Dr. Kristy Arbogast, the senior author of the study, emphasized the significance of the research in providing comprehensive insights into the immediate neurophysiological effects of soccer headers on young athletes.
While the study reveals that a limited number of headers in a session may not represent an immediate risk to well trained child players, it is important to recognize that repeated soccer headers during an athletic career may have long-term implications.
RELATED ARTICLE: Is Football Bad for Your Brain? MRI Scans Reveal Lesions on White Matter Linked to Years of Repetitive Head Injuries from Playing
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