NEW YORK (Reuters Health)
Soccer players who like to head the ball risk developing balance problems, according to a preliminary study presented at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Sports Concussion conference. Repetitive subconcussive head impacts from soccer headers have been linked to brain changes and impaired cognitive performance but far less is known about the effect of headers on balance control. “That is the first time that this protocol is used to study the effect of soccer heading exposure on vestibular processing and balance control during walking,” Fernando Vanderlinde Santos from University of Delaware told Reuters Health by email.
The study had 10 female and 10 male soccer players (mean age, 22) take standard balance tests and provide information on how many times they headed the ball in the past year. Soccer players with the largest number of headers had the most problems with vestibular processing and balance recovery. “Individuals who were exposed to greater repetitive subconcussive head impacts (RSHI) were more perturbed by vestibular stimulation during walking, suggesting that there may be vestibular dysfunction and balance impairments with frequent heading”, the researchers report in their conference abstract. “Soccer players must have good balance to play the game well, yet our research suggests that headers may be undermining balance, which is key to all movement, and yet another problem now linked to headers”.
A limitation of the study is that the (small group of) players relied on memory to report how many times they headed the ball. “… more studies are needed to understand not just the balance disturbance, but how to apply this knowledge in training programs to mitigate the effect of soccer heading and rehabilitation programs to aid athletes that are exposed to subconcussive head impacts—remembering that subconcussive head impacts are mild head impacts that do not result in acute clinical signs and symptoms of concussion,” said Santos.
Resources:
Soccer Headers May Fuel Balance Problems – Medscape – Jul 20, 2018.
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health.
SOURCE: https://bit.ly/Mf5TpW
American Academy of Neurology Sports Concussion Conference 2018.
Reuters Health Information © 2018
