In soccer, it is common for players to “head” the ball, or strike it with their heads. A new study by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) says that repeated heading of the ball in soccer can lead to measurable brain damage in players. Researchers examined the brain scans of several professional soccer players and found damage similar to mild traumatic brain injury (TBI).
One researcher commented that other dangers in the game such as colliding with other players and falling to the ground could also contribute to brain damage in players. A statistic from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC) seems to back that up with 40 percent of soccer concussions caused by player collisions. Heading the ball causes about 13 percent of soccer concussions, according to the USCPSC.
It is interesting to note that the brain damage in the study was not detectable by conventional MRIs. Traditional MRI and CAT scans often miss brain damage that can become TBI. Early detection of any type of head injury is crucial to preventing long-term and permanent damage.
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