# Soccer heading can lead to brain damage and mid-life dementia — here's what should be done



## mahrez (Mar 15, 2017)

According to this new article

Soccer heading can lead to brain damage and mid-life dementia — here's what should be done

http://www.businessinsider.com/soccer-heading-brain-damage-dementia-study-2017-3?

"Heading produces a so-called coup-contracoup head injury. A one-pound soccer ball may strike a player's head at a speed as high as 80 miles per hour, generating a force as high as 100 to 150 times the force of gravity.

As the ball strikes the head — even if it is protected by a helmet — its kinetic energy is transmitted to the brain floating within the skull cavity, causing it to bounce back against the skull’s back wall, sustaining a bruise.

As the brain continues to bounce around within the skull, it sustains more and more bruises. As these bruises accumulate, the brain begins to develop chronic changes, including the accumulation of the tau protein also seen in Alzheimer's victims and overall shrinkage. Its owner begins to exhibit changes of mental illness including memory loss, angry temperament, and violent behavior"

I've seen this problem in pro football (soccer in the USA) players and know of at least 3 that "retired early"  due to concussion problems, not many pointed to comultative header's as the primary cause until recently but I think there is something to these new findings.


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## outside! (Mar 15, 2017)

Yet many complain about the new rules limiting heading by children.


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## mahrez (Mar 15, 2017)

outside! said:


> Yet many complain about the new rules limiting heading by children.


My college daughter never liked to head the ball much,  would always complain about hurting too much so i didn't encourage her. 

My HS son on the other hand has always liked heading, never complained once so I didn't discourage him.  When we first saw American football it was a flag for his age so he played, loved it but once the kids moved on to tackle we both thought the sport was crazy to allow 9 yr olds to bang helemts so much,  the fact they needed all these pads for protection meant there was a good chance of injury.

Might be to late to put the genie back in the bottle for some and I'm not sure what I should tell my son going forward but I'm going to discuss with some medical people more to see if there is a consensus forming.


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## Grace T. (Mar 15, 2017)

I hear the concerns, and I for one support the restrictions that they've placed on heading for children.  On the other hand, there's no way we are ever going to make the sport (or most sports for that matter) completely safe.  Any sport where there is a risk of concussion is going to carry a risk.  What about balls struck to the head (we've all seen them, particularly on the younger levels and those typically come with more force than a header)?  What about players running into each other and smacking each other on the head (everyone where helmets?  wouldn't that just encourage more smacking?)  What about goalies and their dives, particularly once they start with the high dive?  What about deliberate chesting (since even that shakes up the brain)? 

Moving onto other sports...baseball and tennis kids get smacked by the ball all the time (does the batting helmet really help?  should all players always wear a batting helmet?)...basketball collisions with the ball and other players are common place....martial arts forget about it (even if you have a no strike to the head rule and wear helmets its going to happen)...water polo (the horror)....horse back riding (got a problem with not just the brain but the spine there)....hockey (oyyyy!)....lacrosse (someone take away their sticks).  Common sense limitations regarding heading might be in order, but a cost/benefit analysis needs to be done, and we are never going to get everything 100% safe so long as there is contact in the sport.  Otherwise, we should as a society just give up and have kids focus on track, swimming, and golf.  Better yet, have them wear bubble suits while they are at it.  Golf in a bubble suit...now that would be a sight to see.


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## Sons of Pitches (Mar 15, 2017)

Our G02 player sustained a nasty head to head collision this past year, missed 4 games while we waited for her symptoms to subside, and another week after that before she was cleared.  We did a lot of investigation into different baseline testing and products that provide protection.  Below is a link to the solution we settled on, I don't sell it, I am not an investor, and I don't represent them in anyway - 

http://unequal.com/shop/sports/soccer

I know it is not perfect, but I believe it does provide her with some additional protection, it is comfortable, and she wears it for every practice and every game.  I am glad that they have eliminated heading from the younger age groups and I hope that they continue to do research and discover more solutions, but i am not going to stop my children from playing a sport that they love.  I played low level college basketball, would not trade the experience for anything, there were injuries, ones that changed my life, a few concussions, my knees ache all the time, my ankles are shot, but I would do it all over again.


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## espola (Mar 15, 2017)

Sons of Pitches said:


> Our G02 player sustained a nasty head to head collision this past year, missed 4 games while we waited for her symptoms to subside, and another week after that before she was cleared.  We did a lot of investigation into different baseline testing and products that provide protection.  Below is a link to the solution we settled on, I don't sell it, I am not an investor, and I don't represent them in anyway -
> 
> http://unequal.com/shop/sports/soccer
> 
> I know it is not perfect, but I believe it does provide her with some additional protection, it is comfortable, and she wears it for every practice and every game.  I am glad that they have eliminated heading from the younger age groups and I hope that they continue to do research and discover more solutions, but i am not going to stop my children from playing a sport that they love.  I played low level college basketball, would not trade the experience for anything, there were injuries, ones that changed my life, a few concussions, my knees ache all the time, my ankles are shot, but I would do it all over again.


The only way that would prevent concussion is to wear it on the inside of the skull.


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## Surfref (Mar 15, 2017)

I had a player in State Cup this year that headed a fast moving ball and was dazed and staggering after the header.  I stopped play and called on the coach and trainer and would not let the player back on until cleared by the trainer.  The trainer did not clear the player.  The (team lost 2-1) coach, manager and a couple parents were giving me crap after the game for not letting their best player back on the field when the Cal South Rep intervened and made sure they all knew it was not my decision, but the training and medical staff's decision.

My DD suffered a concussion during a college game this past fall.  The doctor said it was a mild concussion.  She had the ball and was dribbling toward the goal line to cross the ball into the goal area when the defender pushed her hard and she bounced her head off the turf.  She initially only had a headache for the first hour.  After the game the trainer gave her the concussion baseline test and she basically match her preseason baseline.  The trainer briefed me and sent us home with a concussion symptom checklist (score sheet).  Then over the next two hours she started to develop sensitivity to light and sound and said her head felt fuzzy and heavy.  The trainer text me every hour to check on her symptom score. At the three hour mark he said her score was increasing and to take her to the ER.  We saw the initial doctor then were sent upstairs to see a specialist.  He told her no soccer for two weeks and no school for one week and follow up appointments with a concussion specialist the following Monday then every Friday until cleared.  She was off the field for four weeks and out of games for five weeks.  She had no symptoms at four weeks but the coach, trainer and doctor wanted to be cautious and held her out another week.  DD college professors gave her full credit for all the tests and assignments she missed.  It helped that she was getting straight A's and was active in class.  I was surprised that my DD did not rush the healing process.  I think those first few days after the concussion really scared her.

For you referees, my DD, her family, and friends were really pissed off at how the CR treated the reckless foul and injury.  The referee made no foul call when there was clearly a reckless foul that the video confirmed.  Then the AR was quick to check on her waiving the CR over and signaling for the trainer.  The CR slowly walked the 25 yards over to her signaling the trainer and coach to not enter the field.  Once the trainers were on the field taking care of her, I saw the AR signal to the CR that there should be a Yellow card and the CR disregarded the recommendation.  After the game the AR came over to see how my DD was doing, but the CR made no attempt to check on her or the other player that was injured.  The other injury was a concussion in the first half on a similar foul by the same defender with no foul or card.  Referees need to make the calls and have the courage to issue the card, and run to any player that goes down with an injury.  Running to the injured player shows the players, crowd and coaches you care, and wave the coach and trainer on as soon as possible.  I truly believe that had the referee called the foul and issued the yellow card for the first concussion related foul that my DD would not have been fouled so violently and could have avoided the concussion.


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## ray8 (Mar 16, 2017)

Couple of quick thoughts on this subject:
Proper heading technique and neck muscle strength of the person heading the ball should be considered in any study. 
Many, many kids around the world have been heading the ball for a very long time. To consider the possibility of the game being played without heading is laughable.
Some soccer players at the highest level don't seem to be able to put many cohesive sentences together.
Not playing soccer may expose an otherwise healthy teenager to do what so many of their peers do, like smoke weed and binge drink. The effects of these activities on the brain are well documented.


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## espola (Mar 16, 2017)

ray8 said:


> Couple of quick thoughts on this subject:
> Proper heading technique and neck muscle strength of the person heading the ball should be considered in any study.
> Many, many kids around the world have been heading the ball for a very long time. To consider the possibility of the game being played without heading is laughable.
> Some soccer players at the highest level don't seem to be able to put many cohesive sentences together.
> Not playing soccer may expose an otherwise healthy teenager to do what so many of their peers do, like smoke weed and binge drink. The effects of these activities on the brain are well documented.


Soccer players don't drink and smoke weed?


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## mahrez (Mar 17, 2017)

espola said:


> Soccer players don't drink and smoke weed?


No they vape & drink "hard" something's

Good stuff ray8. 

Do you think the baseline concussion testing like ussda does and the new youth protocols are helpful?   Should more be done in this area? At registration time for more leagues or something?


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## futboldad1 (Mar 17, 2017)

It's great that concussions are being better diagnosed nowadays, but we're have to be careful not to get to a point like the movie Wall-E where where everyone is going to end up fat from potato chips on their couch as the outside world and sports are so dang scary.


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## Surfref (Mar 17, 2017)

mahrez said:


> No they vape & drink "hard" something's
> 
> Good stuff ray8.
> 
> Do you think the baseline concussion testing like ussda does and the new youth protocols are helpful?   Should more be done in this area? At registration time for more leagues or something?


I do think the baseline testing my DD had in college was useful.  The initial test (Friday) within the first hour after the injury showed not much difference from the baseline.  The test on Monday showed a good difference and impairment.  The doctor, trainers, and coach used the baseline tests to help determine when she was ready to progress through the different recovery phases.  They continued the baseline tests for three weeks after she was cleared to play just as a precaution.  After seeing my DD and several of her college teammates go through the concussion protocols, I believe all players (club, high school, college, and pro) should have a baseline established at least once a year or whatever the medical field considers an appropriate interval.


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## Sheriff Joe (Mar 17, 2017)

espola said:


> The only way that would prevent concussion is to wear it on the inside of the skull.


Thank you Dr.


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## Sheriff Joe (Mar 17, 2017)

espola said:


> Soccer players don't drink and smoke weed?


You are obviously suffering from the affects of your concussion, gramps.


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## espola (Mar 17, 2017)

Surfref said:


> I do think the baseline testing my DD had in college was useful.  The initial test (Friday) within the first hour after the injury showed not much difference from the baseline.  The test on Monday showed a good difference and impairment.  The doctor, trainers, and coach used the baseline tests to help determine when she was ready to progress through the different recovery phases.  They continued the baseline tests for three weeks after she was cleared to play just as a precaution.  After seeing my DD and several of her college teammates go through the concussion protocols, I believe all players (club, high school, college, and pro) should have a baseline established at least once a year or whatever the medical field considers an appropriate interval.


I would start a program like that with older kids, the most likely to get hurt.  If it turns out to have some value, work it down in age until we see no need for it.

I haven't seen it brought up  in here yet -- the NCAA has a program for former student-athletes - 2 free complete neurological checkups in the first 50 years after college.


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