Can you get concussion from heading a soccer ball?

Can you get concussion from heading a soccer ball?

To reduce risk of soccer player head injury, a new study recommends preventing how hard a ball hits the head by inflating balls to lower pressures and subbing them out when they get wet. Up to 22% of soccer injuries are concussions that can result from players using their heads to direct the ball during a game.

What typically causes a concussion in soccer?

Body-to-Body Contact. The most common cause of soccer concussions is body-to-body contact. The 2015 study referenced above showed that 68.8% of boys and 51.3% of girls studied sustained their soccer concussions as a result of body-to-body contact during play.

Can a ball cause a concussion?

Any blow to the head, face or neck, or somewhere else on the body that causes a sudden movement of the head can cause a concussion. Some examples include being hit in the head with a ball or being checked into the boards in hockey.

Is it bad to hit a soccer ball with your head?

Heading in soccer can increase your risk of concussions. Over time, repeated subconcussive injuries can also accumulate and cause brain damage. But with proper technique and protective head gear, it’s possible to reduce your risk. You can also stay prepared by learning the concussion protocol.

What causes a soccer player to get a concussion?

However it is not the ball that usually gives the player a concussion, it is a collision with other team members that commonly cause the concussion during the act of trying to head the ball.

Can a soccer ball cause a head injury?

CAUSES OF HEAD INJURIES IN SOCCER. Sports medicine expert and former soccer player Dr. Donald Kirkendall delved into whether repetitive heading might cause brain injury. He said that if the heading was being done properly, the ball’s impact with the head is not usually forceful enough to cause a concussion.

How is heading the ball linked to concussion?

Gathering and analyzing the data, the researchers discovered that soccer players in the group that headed the ball the most were three times more likely to have symptoms than those who headed the ball the least.

What are the effects of heading a soccer ball?

Subscribe today. The research, published this week in EBioMedicine, studied brain changes among amateur players, ages 19 to 25, who headed machine-projected soccer balls at speeds modeling a typical practice. Though the results seen were temporary, they trigger questions about possible cumulative damage done over time.