Eliminate Heading from Soccer?

[john5746]

Should heading be eliminated from soccer? Some evidence that it does cause brain damage. Not sure if a reasonable helmet could be created to help this, so maybe eliminate heading for kids?

[D H]

Should heading be eliminated from soccer?

 

No, it shouldn't. Heading is an integral part of the game. Moreover, eliminating heading from the game won't solve the problem of traumatic brain injuries in the game. (Properly) heading the ball is way down on the list of what causes head injuries and brain trauma in football/soccer. Concussions arise largely from head to head collisions, head to other body part collisions, head to ground collisions, head to goal post collisions, and inadvertent head to ball collisions. Properly heading the ball does not transmit much force to the brain.

 

 

Some evidence that it does cause brain damage.

 

Those studies (and there have been a number of them) tend to be a bit dubious. There might be something there, then again, there might not. As mentioned above, heading is far from the leading cause of traumatic brain injury in the game. It is very hard to control for the damage caused by those more serious head injuries. AFAIK, about the only thing that is conclusive is that players who have suffered a serious head injury should avoid heading the ball because now even the small and nominally reparable damage that results from heading can add insult to the existing injury.

 

 

Not sure if a reasonable helmet could be created to help this, so maybe eliminate heading for kids?

 

Helmets do exist, and some professionals who have suffered serious head injury do wear them now to prevent accumulative injuries from heading.

 

As far as kids go, there are a number of reasons not to teach young children to head the ball. Their skulls are not fully developed, they don't have the requisite mind/body skills needed to properly head the ball, they don't have the situational awareness to identify conditions where heading isn't safe, and they tend to play bunch ball that makes for unsafe heading conditions. The skill needs to be built up gradually so that heading does become an integral part of the game by the time they are 18 or so.

[overtone]

 

Those studies (and there have been a number of them) tend to be a bit
dubious. There might be something there, then again, there might not. As
mentioned above, heading is far from the leading cause of traumatic
brain injury in the game.

The issue appears to be wider than "traumatic brain injury", though. The effects of the frequency of minor impacts over time, despite the apparent lack of harm from any one of them, seems to be part of the concern, and these are quite often from heading the ball.

 

Also, unlike in some other sports, in soccer willingness to risk and withstand injury is not part of the activity - the matter is more sensitive.

[John Cuthber]

"Should heading be eliminated from soccer?"

Only after you have banned boxing.

The point of football is to get the ball in the goal. The point of boxing is to brain damage your opponent. (They call it a knock-out)

[D H]

The issue appears to be wider than "traumatic brain injury", though. The effects of the frequency of minor impacts over time, despite the apparent lack of harm from any one of them, seems to be part of the concern, and these are quite often from heading the ball.

You are perhaps thinking of acute brain injury. Cumulative brain injury such as that supposedly caused by heading is a subclass of traumatic brain injury.

 

Also, unlike in some other sports, in soccer willingness to risk and withstand injury is not part of the activity - the matter is more sensitive.

In what I call commie soccer (everyone plays, with more or less equal time per player except those players who score too much receive less playing time), yes. In competitive soccer/football, no. Soccer remains a contact sport, particularly in 50/50 ball situations.

Edited June 13, 2013 by D H

[john5746]

"Should heading be eliminated from soccer?"

Only after you have banned boxing.

The point of football is to get the ball in the goal. The point of boxing is to brain damage your opponent. (They call it a knock-out)

 

If I were czar of sports, then yes boxing would be the primary target, although it has far less participation than football or soccer

 

I have come to the conclusion that American Football is not a good sport for youth. Would be nice to replace it with soccer, which already has a big following in girl and boy youth leagues. But, seems like heading is an issue, especially for youngsters. So, maybe my title should be "Should heading be eliminated from youth soccer leagues.

 

http://articles.courant.com/2012-09-11/health/hc-youth-soccer-concussions-20120911_1_brain-injuries-michael-l-lipton-amateur-soccer-players

 

from the article:

 

 

Sometimes it's good to follow your instincts. Heading the ball, a common soccer move where a player hits the ball with the head to direct it, is an integral part of the game. But increasing concerns about head injuries among children in sports prompted Soccer Shots, a national program for children 2 to 8, to ban heading in all games.

Girls' soccer programs have the second highest number of concussions, Webb said. In high school sports, football has the highest number of brain injuries, with about 55,000 per year. Girls' soccer is second-highest, with about 29,000, according to the CDC.

"We just think that children this young don't need to be heading soccer balls," he said. "We don't want to be a bystander, so we made a decision to remove heading altogether."

The move by Soccer Shots, however, is unusual. Most leagues in Connecticut – recreation, travel and high school – have no such restrictions in place.

Edited June 13, 2013 by john5746

[overtone]

Soccer remains a contact sport, particularly in 50/50 ball situations

We've all watched soccer. It's less of a contact sport than basketball, less of a hard surface hazard than volleyball, less of a collision or accidental severe head blow arena than baseball. It is not a contact sport.

 

So the brain injury stats are worrying, since they have no obvious cause in intrinsic violence, and the worry comes directly from the practice of repeatedly heading the ball. The notion that hitting things with one's head over and over is harmless is not a safe assumption.

 

The question is going to become, as football is facing now, one of the changes to the sport that can be made without damaging it. It's fairly likely that frequently heading a soccer ball (often enough to get good at it) is a dangerous thing for anyone under the age of 25, when the brain is still developing, to do. Then what?

Edited June 13, 2013 by overtone

[D H]

We've all watched soccer. It's less of a contact sport than basketball, less of a hard surface hazard than volleyball, less of a collision or accidental severe head blow arena than baseball. It is not a contact sport.

This is the game I watch:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let's not forget the ladies:

 

 

 

 

 

Sandwich!

 

 

 

 

 

Note well: A soccer ball did not cause the above injury.

 

So the brain injury stats are worrying, since they have no obvious cause in intrinsic violence, and the worry comes directly from the practice of repeatedly heading the ball. The notion that hitting things with one's head over and over is harmless is not a safe assumption.

 

The question is going to become, as football is facing now, one of the changes to the sport that can be made without damaging it. It's fairly likely that frequently heading a soccer ball (often enough to get good at it) is a dangerous thing for anyone under the age of 25, when the brain is still developing, to do. Then what?

What stats? The bogus ones in the article cited by john5746? Those are bogus for two reasons: One is that they don't jibe with other statistics I've read. Soccer does have a problem with brain injuries, but it's not number one in girls sports. Basketball and perhaps softball top soccer. None of them is as dangerous as cheerleading.

 

The other reason those stats are bogus is because the article implies that heading the ball is the cause of those concussions. That's false reporting. Headers are way down the list of causes of concussions in soccer. Number one by far is head to body. Head to ground, head to goal post, inadvertent head to ball make up almost all of the rest. Banning heading won't fix the problem of concussions in soccer.

[john5746]

What stats? The bogus ones in the article cited by john5746? Those are bogus for two reasons: One is that they don't jibe with other statistics I've read. Soccer does have a problem with brain injuries, but it's not number one in girls sports. Basketball and perhaps softball top soccer. None of them is as dangerous as cheerleading.

 

The other reason those stats are bogus is because the article implies that heading the ball is the cause of those concussions. That's false reporting. Headers are way down the list of causes of concussions in soccer. Number one by far is head to body. Head to ground, head to goal post, inadvertent head to ball make up almost all of the rest. Banning heading won't fix the problem of concussions in soccer.

Here are some more bogus stats:

 

http://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/concussion-rates-high-school-sports

 

Concussion rates are increasing in high school sports.

 

The current rates per 100,000 athletic exposures (an AE is one athlete participating in one organized high school athletic practice or competition, regardless of the amount of time played), according to the two most recent studies (8,10) are as follows:

Football: 64 -76.8

Boys' ice hockey: 54

Girl's soccer: 33

Boys' lacrosse: 40 - 46.6

Girls' lacrosse: 31 - 35

Boys' soccer: 19 - 19.2

Boys' wrestling: 22 - 23.9

Girls' basketball: 18.6 - 21

Girls' softball: 16 - 16.3

Boys' basketball: 16 - 21.2

Girls' field hockey: 22 - 24.9

Cheerleading: 11.5 to 14

Girls' volleyball: 6 - 8.6

Boys' baseball: Between 4.6 - 5

Girls' gymnastics: 7

Girls' swim/dive: 2

Girls' track/field: 2

Boys' track/field: 2

Boys' swim/dive: 1

 

So, soccer is indeed #1, with lacrosse for girls. This does make sense, looking at the pics you posted. For most of the players, soccer is indeed more of a contact sport than basketball or softball. Why would you think it would have lower concussions?

 

You are correct that concussions are generally not cuased by heading the ball. But, there is more to brain injuries than concussions.

 

http://www.physicianspractice.com/mri/mri-detects-brain-injuries-caused-heading-soccer-balls

 

People generally know when they have had a concussion and there is much effort to minimize them and treat them. But, slight damage such as with heading over the long term is not being considered. I think banning for younger players and education for older makes sense.

[D H]

Here are some more bogus stats:

 

http://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/concussion-rates-high-school-sports

 

Concussion rates are increasing in high school sports.

 

You are correct. Bogus.

 

Concussion rates are not increasing. It's the reported concussion rate that is increasing. That concussion rates suddenly and dramatically started rising across all sports all at the same time is a ludicrous proposition. What happened is that increased scrutiny has forced coaches et al to switch to calling an ambulance in response to Johnny having had his bell instead of saying "Shake it off, Johnny. Grab some water and I'll put you back in the game in a few minutes."

 

This increase in the reported number of concussions is a good thing, not a bad thing. It means that there is greater awareness of the problem amongst coaches, sports administrators, parents, and participants. It means that participants who suffer concussions are more likely to receive immediate and appropriate care from a trained physician, and are less likely to be sent back onto the field of play to receive yet another concussion in the same game.

 

 

The current rates per 100,000 athletic exposures (an AE is one athlete participating in one organized high school athletic practice or competition, regardless of the amount of time played) ...

 

So, soccer is indeed #1, with lacrosse for girls.

 

Those are exactly the same bogus stats you reported earlier. Look at where the authors got those numbers and where that other article got its numbers. Those authors did not perform a study. They instead relied on the exact same study, Marar M, McIlvain NM, Fields SK, Comstock RD. Epidemiology of Concussions Among United States High School Athletes in 20 Sports. Am J Sports Med 2012;40(4):747-755.

 

 

I think banning for younger players and education for older makes sense.

 

Depending on what you mean by "younger," I agree completely. That is exactly what I said in the closing paragraph of post #2.