Match Situations Leading to Head Injuries in Professional Male Football (Soccer)—A Video-Based Analysis Over 12 Years

Abstract

Jumping for the ball with the intention of heading is the predominant action associated with head injury risk. Head injuries occur most often when players challenge for the ball in a header duel. As head injuries bear the potential risk of long-term health sequelae, the identification of situational circumstances is essential to develop preventative means in the future.

The UEFA Heading Study: Heading incidence in children’s and youth’ football (soccer) in eight European countries

“…It has previously been shown in adults' football that heading duels are particularly key in the occurrence of head injury. [47][48][49] Therefore, header duels and unintentionally getting hit by a ball can be considered to be more likely accompanied by (head injury) consequences. 50,51 It is tempting to assume that the contact force between the ball and the player's head is an important consideration for head injury risk.…”

Head Injury in Soccer: From Science to the Field; summary of the head injury summit held in April 2017 in New York City, New York

“…Specifically, concussions have been reduced by 29%. 131 Both studies indicate that enforcement of existing rules can have an effect on foul play and limit concussive injury.…”

Video analysis of concussion mechanisms and immediate management in French men’s professional football (soccer) from 2015 to 2019

“…Those observational criteria have been chosen before starting the video analysis, in accordance with mechanisms and match situations identified in previous studies. 11,13,22 We also recorded the playing position of the concussed player and the uninjured player, the match referee's decision (non-foul, foul), whether or not the concussed player had apparent loss of consciousness, and the immediate management of the concussed player on the field (ie, did he leave the game temporarily or permanently after the impact? Was a medical assessment conducted on field?).…”

“…Match exposure was calculated using the following calculation 22,23 : number of competition matches x number of players on the field x duration of the match in hours (1.5 hours per match). There was no extra time to consider, since only league matches were considered and no knockout match.…”

“…The incidence rate for concussions was calculated with the following formula: incidence=(number of concussions/hours of match exposure) × 1000. For the incidence rate, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated 22 : Lower 95% CI = Incidence/e 1.96 × (square root [1/number of concussions])…”