Citation

Reed WF, Feldman KW, Weiss AH, Tencer AF. Arch. Pediatr. Adolesc. Med. 2002; 156(4): 337-340.

Affiliation

School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, American Medical Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11929366

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To define forces of youth soccer ball heading (headers) and determine whether heading causes retinal hemorrhage. SETTING: Regional Children's Hospital, youth soccer camp. PATIENTS: Male and female soccer players, 13 to 16 years old, who regularly head soccer balls. MEASUREMENTS: Dilated retinal examination, after 2-week header diary, and accelerometer measurement of heading a lofted soccer ball.

RESULTS: Twenty-one youth soccer players, averaging 79 headers in the prior 2 weeks, and 3 players who did not submit header diaries lacked retinal hemorrhage. Thirty control subjects also lacked retinal hemorrhage. Seven subjects heading the ball experienced linear cranial accelerations of 3.7 +/- 1.3g. Rotational accelerations were negligible.

CONCLUSIONS: Headers, not associated with globe impact, are unlikely to cause retinal hemorrhage. Correctly executed headers did not cause significant rotational acceleration of the head, but incorrectly executed headers might.

Language: en