Heading A Soccer Ball More Dangerous To Females
Five times more susceptible to brain trauma
Another study has found heading the ball in soccer may be worse on female players than male.
Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York examined amateur players and found, on average, the volume of damaged brain tissue from heading was five times more extensive in females.
They were not able to confirm why women might be more vulnerable. They suspect it may be due to differences in neck strength, hormones or genetics.
The damage was not immediate so the plan now is to gain a better understanding of how the impact of heading the ball grows and causes damage.
“Rather than ban heading altogether—which probably isn’t realistic—we’d like to get a better handle on how many headers will get players into trouble. What is important about this study is that men and women may need to be looked at differently.”
– study leader Dr Michael Lipton
A 2014 study at St Michaels Hospital in Toronto also found a higher incidence of concussions among females.
