@article{61007,
abstract = {{ABSTRACT
Purpose
Repetitive head impacts due to heading in soccer may bear the potential to induce brain changes. To investigate how brain development is affected by heading, effects of heading exposure on neurocognitive and vestibular performance in adolescent soccer players were prospectively examined.
Methods
In this longitudinal cohort study, male and female high-level youth soccer players of different ages were enrolled in two seasons. Age-matched athletes of other ball sports were included as controls. Before and after each season, neurocognitive performance (6 domain scores), vestibulo-ocular reflex, dynamic visual acuity, and postural control (sway velocity) were objectively assessed in all athletes. Every soccer training and match during the observation period was videotaped to analyze individual heading exposure. Associations between heading frequency (total, in duels, >20 m flight distance) and pre- to post-changes were investigated via Spearman correlation.
Results
103 soccer and 51 control athletes (9-19 years) participated. Neurocognitive scores and sway velocity significantly improved in each season in soccer and control athletes. There were no associations between total heading numbers and changes in any parameter. Over the first season, the more headers played in duels (r = -0.255, 95%CI = -0.474 to -0.006, p = 0.04) and from >20 m distance (r = -0.299, 95%CI = -0.510 to -0.055, p = 0.02) the less psychomotor speed improvement occurred. In the second season, improvements in reaction time were significantly smaller with higher numbers of headers played in duels (r = 0.375, 95%CI = 0.043 to 0.632, p = 0.02) and from >20 m distance (r = 0.359, 95%CI = 0.025 to 0.621, p = 0.03).
Conclusions
Potential high-impact headers may have affected neurocognitive improvements, exhibiting small to moderate effects. Therefore, more high-impact headers may be more important to consider than solely the overall heading exposure in discussions about adverse effects in youth soccer.
}},
author = {{Reeschke, Rebecca and Dautzenberg, Lena and Mund, Franziska Katharina and Koch, Thorsten and Reinsberger, Claus}},
issn = {{1530-0315}},
journal = {{Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise}},
publisher = {{Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)}},
title = {{{Effects of Different Header Types on Neurocognitive and Vestibular Performance in Youth Soccer Players}}},
doi = {{10.1249/mss.0000000000003831}},
year = {{2025}},
}
@article{55402,
author = {{Mund, Franziska Katharina and Feddermann-Demont, Nina and Welsch, Götz and Schuenemann, Carsten and Fiehler, Jens and Junge, Astrid and Reinsberger, Claus}},
issn = {{1440-2440}},
journal = {{Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport}},
publisher = {{Elsevier BV}},
title = {{{Heading during the season and its potential impact on brain structure and neurocognitive performance in high-level male football players: An observational study}}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.jsams.2024.05.012}},
year = {{2024}},
}
@article{42118,
author = {{Haase, Franziska Katharina and Prien, Annika and Douw, Linda and Feddermann‐Demont, Nina and Junge, Astrid and Reinsberger, Claus}},
issn = {{0905-7188}},
journal = {{Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports}},
keywords = {{Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation, Orthopedics and Sports Medicine}},
publisher = {{Wiley}},
title = {{{Cortical thickness and neurocognitive performance in former high‐level female soccer and non‐contact sport athletes}}},
doi = {{10.1111/sms.14324}},
year = {{2023}},
}
@article{46818,
abstract = {{AbstractObjectiveConcerns about short‐ and long‐term consequences of repetitive heading contributed to heading restrictions in youth football in some countries. This prospective longitudinal cohort study aims to describe heading exposure in children's and youth football over two seasons using standardized video analysis.MethodsAll matches and training sessions of a male Under‐11 (n = 29), Under‐15 (n = 28), Under‐19 (n = 38), and female Under‐17 (n = 39) team were videotaped during the seasons 2019–2020 and 2020–2021. Heading frequencies and characteristics were analyzed. Individual heading exposure is presented as average incidence rates (IR) per 1000 match/training hours.ResultsIn 275 matches and 673 training sessions, 22 921 headers were observed. Heading IR per player in matches was 1256 (Under‐11 m), 1608 (Under‐15 m), 1050 (Under‐17 f), and 1966 (Under‐19 m). In training sessions, IR per player was 739 (Under‐11 m), 2206 (Under‐15 m), 1661 (Under‐17 f), and 1419 (Under‐19 m). Five Under‐15 males headed the ball five to eight times per training on average. Most headers were performed without heading duels. Flight distance was predominantly 5–20 m (54%) in matches and <5 m (65%) in training. While head impact location most frequently was at frontal areas, one‐third of all headers in Under‐11 in matches hit temporal, parietal, and occipital parts of the head.ConclusionHeading incidence was low in the youngest age group, whereas (predominantly five) Under‐15 males showed very high heading exposures in training. In assessment and regulation of heading burden, training sessions and individual heading behavior should specifically be addressed. Recommendations for heading the ball in practice should account for individual and age‐related differences.}},
author = {{Reeschke, Rebecca and Haase, Franziska Katharina and Dautzenberg, Lena and Krutsch, Werner and Reinsberger, Claus}},
issn = {{0905-7188}},
journal = {{Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports}},
keywords = {{Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation, Orthopedics and Sports Medicine}},
number = {{9}},
pages = {{1821--1830}},
publisher = {{Wiley}},
title = {{{Training matters: Heading incidence and characteristics in children's and youth football (soccer) players}}},
doi = {{10.1111/sms.14408}},
volume = {{33}},
year = {{2023}},
}