Find an Acupuncturist,
Chiropractor,
and more...

Advertisement

Headache Headache Basics

Heading Soccer Balls Could Lead to Brain Damage

Summary & Participants

Heading the ball is not uncommon on the soccer field. Researchers have found this may cause brain damage, and are warning players to be careful.

Medically Reviewed On: July 21, 2009

Webcast Transcript

Dr. Dan: I’m Dr. Bruce Dan.

Most sports fans look at soccer and don’t see a very rough sport, with its low scores and clever plays. But one part of the game may be tough on your health.

A study by Dutch researchers in the Journal of Neurology compared the mental function of 53 professional soccer players to 27 swimming and track athletes. The sportsmen were tested on memory, language, and planning skills.

Turns out the soccer players exhibited more mental impairment on average than the other athletes. Researchers don’t know why, but they note a soccer ball can hit a player’s head with 175 pounds of force and professionals can easily head the ball 800 times a season.

All that adds up to repeated blows to the head, which may cause brain damage. Amateur players don’t head the ball as often, but the researchers still urge them to be careful about doing it.

For this sport, using your head may not always be the best idea.

With Doctor’s Corner, I’m Dr. Bruce Dan.