Citation

Beaudouin F, Aus der Fünten K, Tröß T, Reinsberger C, Meyer T. Br. J. Sports Med. 2019; 53(15): 948-952.

Affiliation

Institute of Sports and Preventive Medicine, Saarland University, FIFA - Medical Centre of Excellence, Saarbrücken, Germany.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bjsports-2016-097217

PMID

28646098

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Absolute numbers of head injuries in football (soccer) are considerable because of its high popularity and the large number of players. In 2006 a rule was changed to reduce head injuries. Players were given a red card (sent off) for intentional elbow-head contact. AIMS: To describe the head injury mechanism and examine the effect of the rule change.

METHODS: Based on continuously recorded data from the German football magazine "kicker", a database of all head injuries in the 1(st) German Male Bundesliga was generated comprising seasons 2000/01-2012/13. Injury mechanisms were analysed from video recordings. Injury incidence rates (IR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) as well as incidence rate ratios (IRR) to assess differences before and after the rule change were calculated.

RESULTS: 356 head injuries were recorded (IR 2.22, 95% CI 2.00 to 2.46 per 1000 match hours). Contact with another player caused most head injuries, more specifically because of head-head (34%) or elbow-head (17%) contacts. After the rule change, head injuries were reduced by 29% (IRR 0.71, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.86, p=0.002). Lacerations/abrasions declined by 42% (95% CI 0.39 to 0.85), concussions by 29% (95% CI 0.46 to 1.09), contusions by 18% (95% CI 0.43 to 1.55) and facial fractures by 16% (95% CI 0.55 to 1.28).

CONCLUSIONS: This rule change appeared to reduce the risk of head injuries in men's professional football.

© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Language: en

Keywords

Soccer; concussion; epidemiology; head impact; injury patterns; traumatic brain injury