Can you get a concussion from getting hit in the face with a soccer ball?

Can you get a concussion from getting hit in the face with a soccer ball?

What causes a concussion? Any blow to the head, face or neck, or somewhere else on the body that causes a sudden movement of the head can cause a concussion. Some examples include being hit in the head with a ball or being checked into the boards in hockey.

Is heading a soccer ball bad for your brain?

Heading in soccer can increase your risk of concussions. Over time, repeated subconcussive injuries can also accumulate and cause brain damage. But with proper technique and protective head gear, it’s possible to reduce your risk. You can also stay prepared by learning the concussion protocol.

Can you get a concussion from playing soccer?

Soccer is a sport not traditionally identified as high-risk for concussions, yet several studies have shown that concussion rates in soccer are comparable to, and often exceed those of, other contact sports. As many as 22% of all soccer injuries are concussions.

What is the most common way to get a concussion in soccer?

The most common cause of soccer concussions is body-to-body contact. The 2015 study referenced above showed that 68.8% of boys and 51.3% of girls studied sustained their soccer concussions as a result of body-to-body contact during play.

What if a ball hits your head?

A: A concussion happens when you get hit in the head hard enough to cause a transient disturbance of brain function or causes your brain not to function normally. You experience symptoms ranging from headache, dizziness or nausea to feeling confused or out of it.

Do headers hurt?

Does a soccer header hurt? A soccer header can hurt if the correct technique is not used when contact is made between the ball and the head. But if the header is performed correctly, with the right technique, then any pain should be minimal. But soccer players all over the world do it multiple times every day.

What age are headers allowed in soccer?

SOCCER HEADING SAFETY RULES

AGE	WHAT HEADING IS PERMITTED
UNDER 11 YEARS OLD	No heading allowed. Coaches are not allowed to teach heading techniques.
11-13 YEARS OLD	Players have to limit the total number of headers to between 15 and 20 per week. Practice heading can not be done for more than 30 minutes each week.

What age can you head the ball in soccer?

Players age 13 and older shall be permitted to head the ball in any match or competition and these players may practice heading the ball in an organized team practice or skill session.

Is soccer a safe sport?

A first-of-its-kind national study of youth soccer injuries recently found that soccer is a relatively safe sport, but that the frequency and type of injuries varied by gender, with boys injured more frequently than girls but suffering fewer ankle and knee injuries.

How are concussions related to heading the ball in soccer?

Heading is involved in only 15% to 25% of concussions in soccer, and most of those are a result of poorly executed headers where two players hit heads,” Kontos said, based on his knowledge of recent research on the topic. This suggests “we need to do more to teach kids how to properly and safely head the ball.”

What happens when you head butt a soccer ball?

Soccer players who frequently head-butt the ball—a commonly used tactic for passing or scoring in a game—may be risking brain injury, memory loss, and impaired cognitive ability, according to a study published in the journal Radiology.

Can a hit to the head cause a concussion?

When a bump, blow or jolt to the head or a hit to the body causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth, this can lead to concussion, a type of traumatic brain injury.

How often should a soccer player head the ball?

The threshold varied from player to player but was generally in the range of 900 to 1,500 headers in a season. Beyond this threshold, the brain abnormalities quickly became more apparent. Those who headed the ball more than 1,800 times in a season scored measurably worse on memory tests than those who had headed the ball less frequently.