When people think of concussions and head injuries, soccer isn’t usually the first sport to come to mind. However, according to a study published in the medical journal World Neurosurgery, up to 22% of all soccer injuries are concussions. Although that number isn’t as high as sports like rugby, football, and ice hockey, concussions in soccer are still something that parents, coaches, and players should take seriously.

Soccer Concussions

Concussions are incredibly common in the sports world. In the United States alone, around 3.8 million athletes suffer from concussions each year due to sports-related injuries. In soccer, they often occur due to direct contact with other players or when players try heading the ball.

What Is a Concussion?

A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), usually caused by direct trauma to the head. A jolt to the body that jerks the head hard can also cause a concussion. When this happens, the brain stops functioning properly. Young athletes might experience symptoms like sleepiness, mood changes, headaches, or problems with memory or concentration.

What Are the Levels of Concussions?

Concussions occur at various levels or grades, which can indicate how severe the symptoms might be. Some physicians use a scale with three grades or levels, but many others use a more precise five-grade scale.

• Grade 0: Grade 0 is the least severe. Symptoms are minor and include a headache or trouble concentrating.
• Grade 1: With a Grade 1 concussion, you might have Grade 0 symptoms, plus feel dazed for a minute or longer.
• Grade 2: With Grade 2 concussions, you might experience the same symptoms but feel dazed longer, as well as experience other symptoms like ringing in the ears or irritability.
• Grade 3: Someone with a Grade 3 concussion will lose consciousness for a minute or less.
• Grade 4: Grade 4 is the most serious level of concussion and results from losing consciousness for a minute or longer.

How Many Concussions Can You Have?

While one concussion may not leave permanent damage, multiple concussions can lead to a more serious problem. Some athletic programs even ban athletes from participating if they experience a specific number of concussions during a certain period of time.

However, the exact number varies by the individual and the type and complexity of the concussion. Factors like medical history can also play a role. This is why it’s important to treat each one individually and take even a low-grade concussion seriously.

Concussion Warning Signs and Symptoms

Anytime a soccer player receives any sort of head injury, it’s important to be on the lookout for the warning signs and symptoms of a concussion. Because each person and each injury are unique, one person’s concussion may look completely different than someone else’s.

Concussion Symptom Checklist

If you or your child has suffered a head injury, or you think you may have a concussion, pay attention to these potential warning signs and symptoms. Remember, you may experience some or all of them.

The injured person may experience:

• Headache
• Head pressure
• Nausea or vomiting
• Blurry or double vision
• Dizziness
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Problems with balance
• Feeling of grogginess
• Confusion
• Trouble concentrating
• Feeling that something just isn’t right

Coaches, friends, and family may observe:

• Memory problems (especially remembering what happened just before or after the injury)
• Changes in mood, behavior, or personality
• Slurred speech or talking or answering questions slowly
• Daze or confused appearance
• Slow or clumsy movement
• Loss of consciousness for any length of time

The following are more serious signs of a concussion and require emergency medical care:

• Loss of consciousness, even briefly
• Inability to wake up or stay awake
• The pupil in one eye is bigger than the other
• Worsening headache that never goes away
• Convulsions or seizures
• Repeated vomiting
• Increased unusual behavior like confusion or agitation
• Weakness, numbness, and/or decreased coordination
• Slurred speech

Soccer Concussions in Players

Although you may associate concussions with sports like football and ice hockey, they are actually fairly common in soccer. For every 1,000 hours of soccer play around the world, 1.7 head or neck injuries occur.

How Do Players Get Concussions in Soccer?

Any impact to the head or the body that affects the head can lead to a concussion. In soccer, this can occur when your head hits the ball, another player, or even the ground. Basically, any movement that jolts your head and causes your brain to make contact with your skull can cause a concussion.

Youth Soccer Concussions and Head Injuries

In youth soccer, particularly in middle and high school aged players, heading the ball accounts for about 30% of all concussions. Young female soccer players are more likely to suffer concussions than their male counterparts.

CTE in Soccer (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy)

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive degenerative disease often found in people who have a history of head injuries, like concussions. In the United States, it’s often associated with football, but it can affect athletes in any sport. In recent years, doctors have discovered it in some soccer players, although more research is needed to determine how it may impact the sport.

How Can We Prevent Concussions and Head Injuries in Soccer?

No athlete is safe from injury. As with any sport, implementing proper training and techniques, wearing special equipment, and taking as many safety precautions as possible may help prevent concussions and other head injuries in soccer.

Proper Training and Techniques

Start with proper training and techniques. Coaches, parents, and players should always adhere to all youth soccer rules. For example, an experienced and well-trained coach should know the proper technique for heading and spend as much time as possible teaching players to ensure they know how to do it in a way that lessens impact. By learning the proper way to head a ball, concussions and other head trauma injuries can be carefully avoided!

Properly Fitted Equipment

Next, make sure all equipment fits properly. Soccer players may not wear as much safety gear as other sports, but it is important to ensure shin guards, gloves, and other items fit the player who wears them.

Soccer Head Gear

Soccer and head gear don’t typically go hand-in-hand, but there is an increased demand for helmets and other gear that prevent common injuries.

Soccer Header Band

Some soccer players wear special padded headbands that can protect their heads from impact. There are multiple options on the market, and you can learn more about how well they work by visiting the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab.

Soccer Helmet

Injury prevention from helmets may lead to a reduction in TBIs in general, but it doesn’t always prevent concussions because they protect the brain from the outside. However, scientists are currently researching how to make sports helmets in general safer for athletes.

Q Collar for Soccer

Another option is the Q collar. Athletes 13 years and older can wear it on their necks to reduce impact. Unlike helmets, the manufacturer claims it protects the brain from the inside, preventing concussions.

Conclusion

Concussions are an inevitable part of sports, even soccer, but understanding the warning signs and symptoms and taking proper preventative measures can help protect you and your children from head injuries.

Join Northeast Rush, the premier youth soccer organization in the Northeastern United States, to expand your skills in a safe environment. NE Rush works with professional, full-time coaches from all over the United States and around the world in New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.