Question for the soccer fans

[GwinnettNole]

Any chance we find out out years down the road that soccer causes brain tramua on a similar level as football? I know there are concussions from heading the ball and inadvertent contact with others while playing. The difference, in my view, is the constant subconcussive hits leading to CTE by the very nature that is football... that soccer does not have. What do you guys think?

 

[NoleMoreTears]

There is a substantial movement (and some evidence) predicated on the fact that pre-adolescents can indeed suffer repeated minor traumas from heading. A few leagues and teams are "banning" heading until age 14 or so.

Although there may be some science behind this we've seen generations of players all over the globe without any seeming epidemic. Certainly nothing close to boxing or football.



Soccer heading

 

[kc78]

We know enough about brain science now to be able to determine how often specific sports cause brain trauma. In fact, we knew about it for years in the NFL, but the NFL kept covering it up. There are concussions in soccer, but near to the level as football. The players aren't nearly as big, nor are they launching themselves directly at a players head with a helmet like in football. Heads coming into contact happens once or twice, but they are more glancing blows.

The area I'm not certain on is how much damage heading a ball does to the brain if any at all.

 

[GwinnettNole]

Originally posted by NoleMoreTears:
There is a substantial movement (and some evidence) predicated on the fact that pre-adolescents can indeed suffer repeated minor traumas from heading. A few leagues and teams are "banning" heading until age 14 or so.

Although there may be some science behind this we've seen generations of players all over the globe without any seeming epidemic. Certainly nothing close to boxing or football.

I can say that my son is in an under 14 league and we do not head the ball or even teach it (much lunch encourage it).

Brandi Chastain has started a big movement on the safety of the sport-- included in this is headers... and children should not be doing it.

Brandi Chastain link

 

[rdbarks10]

Some will say it's an injury just by heading the ball but I don't buy that.

Most concussion come from the physical play such as throwing elbows, colliding head to head while making an attempt on the ball or inertia type injuries. I had a teammate in college that went into a tackle at full speed did a half-flip, bounced on his head and landed on his feet. He didn't know he had a concussion until 20 minutes later at half time.
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[bcherod]

Concussions happen in football, soccer and lacrosse. They are all physical sports, although different.

 

[NoleMoreTears]

Originally posted by rdbarks10:
Some will say it's an injury just by heading the ball but I don't buy that.

Most concussion come from the physical play such as throwing elbows, colliding head to head while making an attempt on the ball or inertia type injuries. I had a teammate in college that went into a tackle at full speed did a half-flip, bounced on his head and landed on his feet. He didn't know he had a concussion until 20 minutes later at half time.
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The point is as the pre-adolescnet skull still develops, heading can actually have an effect because the cranial plates have yet to reliably fuse. Of course once we get older and more hard-headed (literally and figuratively), it's not an issue.

I tend to agree with you this may be overblown because we just don't see the types of long-term symptoms as from other sports.

Hockey has done a tremendous job of leading the way on concussion protocols and interventions. Wise to pay attention to how they approach it.

 

[GbrNole]

Originally posted by GwinnettNole:

Originally posted by NoleMoreTears:
There is a substantial movement (and some evidence) predicated on the fact that pre-adolescents can indeed suffer repeated minor traumas from heading. A few leagues and teams are "banning" heading until age 14 or so.

Although there may be some science behind this we've seen generations of players all over the globe without any seeming epidemic. Certainly nothing close to boxing or football.

I can say that my son is in an under 14 league and we do not head the ball or even teach it (much lunch encourage it).

Brandi Chastain has started a big movement on the safety of the sport-- included in this is headers... and children should not be doing it.

Link: Brandi Chastain link

My son is a current u14 rising u15 - I have and always will encourage to use proper technique when heading the ball. It's not really until u13 that heading the ball becomes a more significant part of the game but it is an important part if children are playing at an upper level.

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[TexasGooner]

I don't think so. Yes, there are concussions in soccer and it may be worse than currently thought but the difference between soccer and football is football players think their helmets, pads, etc. are protecting them when it actually makes the hits more severe, so a hit to the head is way more brutal than say rugby.

 

[dbnoles]

I think most injuries occur when the player flop and bounce their heads off the ground.

 

[BT_Nole]

Originally posted by dbnoles:

I think most injuries occur when the player flop and bounce their heads off the ground.

The vast majority of soccer fans hate the flopping, but until FIFA tells the refs to start handing out cards for "simulation," there will be little change.

As to the original question, I do believe there is movement in this area to cut down on the heading due to potential brain trauma. However, I agree with the previous post that having helmets means hits are more ferocious b/c of the belief the helmet protects oneself. I have played and coached at a number of levels/ages - I can say that I'd never encourage it before 13-14 y/o. I have a U10 team now (my son is on it), and I haven't even mentioned heading in the 2 seasons I've coached them.

 

[kc78]

I don't think soccer is a dangerous as football in relation to concussions, but FIFA need to wake up. there were at least two games I saw where a player had obvious symptoms and they only evaluated then for about one minute before putting them back in. they must have better evaluation measures.
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