MSGID: 1:317/3 646ee4a7   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Researchers comprehensively assess the safety of using your head in   
   youth soccer    
      
     Date:   
         May 24, 2023   
     Source:   
         Children's Hospital of Philadelphia   
     Summary:   
         Repeatedly heading a soccer ball has been previously associated with   
         negative long-term brain health for professional players. However,   
         a new study found that a small number of repeated soccer headers   
         equivalent to a throw-in did not cause immediate neurophysiological   
         deficits for teens, suggesting that limited soccer heading exposure   
         in youth sports may not result in irreversible harm if players   
         are properly trained.   
      
      
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   FULL STORY   
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   Repeatedly heading a soccer ball has been previously associated with   
   negative long-term brain health for professional players. However, in   
   a new study from researchers at the Minds Matter Concussion Program   
   at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), a small number of   
   repeated soccer headers equivalent to a throw-in did not cause immediate   
   neurophysiological deficits for teens, suggesting that limited soccer   
   heading exposure in youth sports may not result in irreversible harm if   
   players are properly trained.   
      
   The findings, which represent the most comprehensive real-time study of   
   soccer headers in adolescent athletes, were published in the Journal of   
   Biomechanical Engineering.   
      
   For some professional athletes, repeated head loading in sports -- using   
   your head as part of the game -- is associated with negative long-term   
   brain health even when there are no initial clinical symptoms. Despite the   
   awareness of long-term consequences, short-term neurophysiological issues   
   after repeated head impacts like soccer heading are poorly understood in   
   youth athletes. Some studies have identified potential issues across an   
   entire sports season. This study examined the consequences of repeated   
   head impacts shortly after the heading exposure with a battery of   
   six different tests to examine a wider variety of potential clinical   
   implications.   
      
   In 2015, the US Soccer Federation implemented limits on soccer headers for   
   teens during practice -- no more than 30 minutes of header practice time   
   and no more than 15 to 20 headers per week. The English Premier League   
   also passed guidelines restricting the number of high-force headers to   
   10 in a single practice per week. This lab-based study simulated these   
   limits conducting 10 repeated soccer headers within a single session   
   with experienced teenage players. Based on their findings, researchers   
   determined that this practice did not result in acute neurophysiological   
   issues, as assessed by a comprehensive exam. The study did not assess   
   the safety of regular soccer headers over the course of a season or   
   scholastic career.   
      
   "Soccer is a sport where intentionally using your head to hit the ball   
   is an integral part of the game, and concern over its long-term effects   
   has parents, caregivers and coaches understandably concerned," said   
   first study author Colin Huber, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow at   
   Emory University who conducted this research while with the Center for   
   Injury Research and Prevention (CIRP) at CHOP. "We wanted to simulate   
   these effects in a controlled laboratory setting and build upon the   
   work of prior studies to quantitatively assess the neurophysiological   
   effects of repeated soccer heading."  In this study, 19 participants   
   (17 male, 2 female) between 13 and 18 years old were assigned to either   
   a frontal heading group (directing the ball back to where it came from),   
   an oblique heading group (directing the ball to the right) or a kicking   
   control group. These participants completed neurophysiological assessments   
   immediately prior to, immediately after and approximately 24 hours after   
   completing 10 headers or kicks. These assessments included multiple eye   
   movement tracking, pupil response and balance tests.   
      
   The study ultimately found no neurophysiological issues in either group   
   when compared with the kicking control group, even when taking the six   
   different assessments into account. However, oblique headers resulted in   
   higher levels of angular head motion. Angular motion is associated with   
   concussions and other brain injuries, suggesting that players should   
   be properly trained to head the ball in a frontal fashion to reduce the   
   risk of injury.   
      
   "This study represents the most comprehensive examination of the acute   
   neurophysiological effects of soccer headers on youth to date, providing   
   us with meaningful information regarding the safety of headers on the   
   field," said senior study author Kristy Arbogast, PhD, Co-Scientific   
   Director at CIRP and research director of the Minds Matter Concussion   
   Program at CHOP. "We need to be clear that there still may be long-term   
   consequences for repeated soccer headers over the course of an athletic   
   career, but it appears that a small number of headers in a given session   
   does not pose an immediate risk to properly trained youth athletes."   
   This study was supported by the National Institute of Neurologic Disorders   
   and Stroke of the National Institutes of Health grant R01NS097549 and   
   internal funds from CHOP.   
      
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Health_&_Medicine   
                   # Sports_Medicine # Accident_and_Trauma # Teen_Health #   
                   Chronic_Illness   
             o Mind_&_Brain   
                   # Intelligence # Brain_Injury # Disorders_and_Syndromes   
                   # Child_Psychology   
       * RELATED_TERMS   
             o Runner's_knee o Soccer o Football o Athletic_training o   
             Sports_medicine o Animal_cognition o Brain_damage o Emphysema   
      
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   Story Source: Materials provided by   
   Children's_Hospital_of_Philadelphia. Note: Content may be edited for   
   style and length.   
      
      
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   Journal Reference:   
      1. Colin M. Huber, Declan A. Patton, Kathryn R. Rownd, Carlyn Patterson   
         Gentile, Christina L. Master, Kristy B. Arbogast. Neurophysiological   
         Effects of Repeated Soccer Heading in Youth. Journal of   
         Biomechanical Engineering, 2023; 145 (9) DOI: 10.1115/1.4062423   
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   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230524181945.htm   
      
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