Does Heading the Ball Cause Brain Damage?

Football is the greatest game in the world. It is also a fun way to get fit and to stay healthy.

- Benni McCarthy

Question is whether heading a football is harmful for the brain.

It is World Cup in South Africa now and FIFA’s Medical Assessment and Research Centre (F-MARC), in collaboration with Grassroot Soccer, has developed ‘The 11 for Health’ programme. This programme improves children’s knowledge, attitudes and behaviour towards diseases through football. This made us curious on what kind of effects it may cause the brain.

Footballs kicked by highly skilled players can travel over 100 km/hour. Heading the ball may have caused the neurological problems reported in soccer players. However, it is possible that other types of head injury were responsible for these injuries. For example, many professional soccer players suffer head injuries when they collide with other players or hit the ground. Therefore, soccer-related brain injury may not necessarily be due to heading the ball. On the other hand, it is unknown if repeated low intensity impacts, like those that occur when the ball is headed, make players more susceptible to later impacts.

Most of the data come from players at the elite level who have played soccer for many years. Professional soccer players head the ball thousands of times during their careers. There has not been much research on the effects of heading the soccer ball on children or recreational players. Although these ball speeds are not reached during most recreational games, some people believe that young players should wear protective helmets.

Incorrect Heading the Ball May Be the Cause

There are studies that suggest that football heading may cause lower test scores. Dr. Webbe, the lead researcher in Florida Tech, is more convinced than ever, as a result of his studies, that soccer heading damages the brain. He believes that it is largely the result of improper heading technique.

“Generally, we accept the premise that if you head the ball with proper technique, then your risk for brain injury is lower.

Source: FIFA.com & Florida Institute Of Technology Press Release

To watch  ‘The FIFA 11 for Health’ programmes , click here.

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Tags: Football, Head injury