HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Pickett, W Articles by Cusimano, M Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Pickett, W Articles by Cusimano, M

Head injuries in youth soccer players presenting to the emergency department

Department of Emergency Medicine and Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr Pickett
Department of Emergency Medicine, Queen’s University, c/o Kingston General Hospital, Angada 3, Kingston, Ontario K7L 2V7, Canada; simpsonk{at}kgh.kari.net

Background: There has been recent concern about neuropsychological injuries experienced by soccer players, particularly related to the purposeful heading of the ball. There are few population based analyses examining whether this is a legitimate concern.

Objectives: To explore, using an existing injury surveillance system, one of many parts of this issue: acute injuries requiring emergency medical care experienced by youth soccer players.

Methods: Descriptive epidemiological analysis of emergency department injury surveillance data (1996–2001) for youths aged 10–24 years from the Kingston sites of the Canadian Hospital Injury Reporting and Prevention Program.

Results: A total of 1714 cases of soccer injury were identified (mean 286 a year); 235 (13.7%) involved diagnoses of injuries to the head. Leading mechanical factors resulting in head injury were contact with other players or persons (153/235; 65.1%) and balls (62/235; 26.4%). Heading was reported in 4/62 (6%) of the ball contact injuries, and attempted heading was reported in 15/153 (9.8%) of the cases involving person to person contact. Unspecified head to head contact between players was reported in 39 cases.

Conclusions: Minor head injuries that result in emergency medical treatment do not happen often in youth soccer, and very few can be attributed to the purposeful heading of the ball. Player contact injuries appear to be a more important injury control concern. This study informs one of many aspects of the soccer heading injury debate.

Keywords: emergency department; head injury; soccer; football; youth

Commentary

St Michael’s University Hospital, Division of Neurosurgery, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1A6, Canada; injuryprevention{at}smh.toronto.on.ca

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F. Le Gall, C. Carling, and T. Reilly Injuries in Young Elite Female Soccer Players: An 8-Season Prospective Study Am. J. Sports Med., February 1, 2008; 36(2): 276 - 284. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. E. Leininger, C. L. Knox, and R. D. Comstock Epidemiology of 1.6 Million Pediatric Soccer-Related Injuries Presenting to US Emergency Departments From 1990 to 2003 Am. J. Sports Med., February 1, 2007; 35(2): 288 - 293. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Le Gall, C. Carling, T. Reilly, H. Vandewalle, J. Church, and P. Rochcongar Incidence of Injuries in Elite French Youth Soccer Players: A 10-Season Study Am. J. Sports Med., June 1, 2006; 34(6): 928 - 938. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]