Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

'Heading' a soccer ball could lead to brain injury
Radiological Society of North America ^ | November 29, 2011

Posted on 11/29/2011 5:04:07 AM PST by decimon

CHICAGO – Using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to study the effects of soccer 'heading,' researchers have found that players who head the ball with high frequency have brain abnormalities similar to those found in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. Results of their study were presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

Heading, in which players field the soccer ball with their head, is an essential part of the game and the focus of many training drills.

"Heading a soccer ball is not an impact of a magnitude that will lacerate nerve fibers in the brain," said Michael L. Lipton, M.D., Ph.D., associate director of the Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and medical director of MRI services at Montefiore Medical Center in New York. "But repetitive heading could set off a cascade of responses that can lead to degeneration of brain cells."

DTI, an advanced magnetic resonance (MR) technique, allows researchers to assess microscopic changes in the brain's white matter, which is composed of millions of nerve fibers called axons that act like communication cables connecting various regions of the brain. DTI produces a measurement, called fractional anisotropy (FA), of the movement of water molecules along axons. In healthy white matter, the direction of water movement is fairly uniform and measures high in FA. When water movement is more random, FA values decrease.

"Abnormally low FA within white matter has been associated with cognitive impairment in patients with TBI," Dr. Lipton said.

(Excerpt) Read more at eurekalert.org ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Sports
KEYWORDS: soccer
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-71 next last
To: gemoftheocean
It’s also the most BORING damn game in the world...

My favorite saying, "Soccer, better than Ambien."

41 posted on 11/29/2011 7:24:20 AM PST by saminfl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: elli1

Believe me, we didn’t jump for joy or say yes immediately. However, he loves it. It has grounded him in a way. He is part of a team, he’s very good on the line, and the equipment/coaches are fantastic. That being said, during this off-season... he is seeing a trainer twice a week (and working out at the gym with specific goals set by the trainer). It is all to make him stronger, faster, and hopefully prevent any sort of injuries. That being said, I do close my eyes when he is on the field.


42 posted on 11/29/2011 7:27:00 AM PST by momtothree
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator

That wasn’t my comment. My comment is arguing AGAINST that statement and is printed below it. Here it is again:
Ignorance award of the day. I say this as someone who would have said the same thing 10 years ago prior to mentoring a young boy who has a gift for the game. I grew to like it watching him play. I’ve grown to love it watching the better high school teams in the area. Especially state tournament time. You need to watch it live and close. The skills of some kids are amazing. And what a myth about players not being tough. Go watch a competitive varsity game. They are wars.


43 posted on 11/29/2011 7:53:49 AM PST by Mr. Fabtastic (Cain is rapidly gaining on Fred Gwynne as my favorite Herman.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: momtothree
Then you must of forgot how to head the ball correctly also your Doc said do not enroll your boys into soccer but it is alright to enroll them into football. I'd get a new Doc if I were you and is this Doc a woman? He or she is now saying football is more sissy than soccer. Boys, boys get dirty, they take bangs and knocks, boys are not supposed to be little girls. I've played soccer and pro Rugby plus boxing most of my life and I've got broken bones but you know what you get on with it The amount of mothers I see wrapping their little boys as if they were girls is pathetic, wearing helmets to have a bicycle ride etc. Is it any wonder why so many boys turn into homosexuals or pansies or cross dressing when their mothers raise them as girls. This is not directed at you BTW but I know I let my boys be boys. They have a fight so what, they get knocks so what, it';s part of getting hit and getting up, not crying on the floor waiting for mommy to pick them up and put a band aid on their boo boo
44 posted on 11/29/2011 7:59:18 AM PST by manc (Marriage is between one man and one woman.Trolls get a life, I HATE OUR BIAS LIBERAL MEDIA.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: decimon
Keep Our Own Kids Safe

Help KOOKS protect our children from the dangers of soccer!

45 posted on 11/29/2011 8:06:27 AM PST by Mr.Unique (Very generic, non-offensive, tagline.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Colonel Kangaroo
Zidane showed the world a few years ago how soccer players can fight without violating the prohibition against using hands.

Zidane showed the world a few years ago how soccer players can fight like a passive agressive pansy.

Fixed it for you.

46 posted on 11/29/2011 8:12:58 AM PST by Mr.Unique (Very generic, non-offensive, tagline.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: TSgt

lmao!! :D


47 posted on 11/29/2011 8:14:49 AM PST by Bikkuri
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: decimon

PLAYING/WATCHING soccer causes brain injury :p


48 posted on 11/29/2011 8:16:14 AM PST by Bikkuri
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gemoftheocean

Golf is 1 step worse :p


49 posted on 11/29/2011 8:17:58 AM PST by Bikkuri
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: decimon

I played soccer and I don’t have any problems with my.....oh.....what’s the word.....ahhhh......oh yeah, memory.


50 posted on 11/29/2011 8:32:10 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Colonel Kangaroo; decimon; TSgt; momtothree; gemoftheocean; hal ogen; dfwgator; noprogs; bray; ...







Will have to make a soccer-ball out of the last one ;)


BTW, I have an awsome one.. but don't want to have this post pulled :p ;)
51 posted on 11/29/2011 8:44:43 AM PST by Bikkuri
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: manc

“Hell even adults or some of them think they have to now wear helmets to ride a bicycle,”

Which group is more likely to survive a collision with an automobile: bicyclists wearing helmets or bicyclists not wearing helmets?

Which group is more likely to redecorate the road with brain matter? Bicyclists wearing helmets or bicyclists not wearing helmets?

Not wearing a bicycle helmet is your choice. It’s your brain at risk.


52 posted on 11/29/2011 8:55:30 AM PST by Altariel (`)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Bikkuri
Photobucket
53 posted on 11/29/2011 9:07:34 AM PST by JRios1968 (I'm guttery and trashy, with a hint of lemon. - Laz)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: Altariel

To see what they call themselves men wearing helmets, tights and tight tops to ride a bicycle is laughable and pathetic IMHO and others.

How did we ever grow up and survive without helmets to ride bicycles and actually be men and boys hey.
Thank heavens the liberals and girlie men got laws in some states saying boys, kids and men, ARF so called men have to wear helmets.

Even more pathetic is that some men wear them willingly .


54 posted on 11/29/2011 9:17:20 AM PST by manc (Marriage is between one man and one woman.Trolls get a life, I HATE OUR BIAS LIBERAL MEDIA.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: manc

As I said, not wearing a helmet is your choice.

But smart conservative men want to protect their brains in case of unexpected collisions with automobiles or in case conditions contribute to another unexpected crash that would have, sans helmet, led to brain injury or death.

I think you might be surprised at the number of Freepers who are here today because they wore a helmet.


55 posted on 11/29/2011 9:39:27 AM PST by Altariel (`)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: manc

My neurologist is a male (no misogamy there, huh?) and no... he didn’t say that football is more sissy than soccer. Let me try to explain this: football has something called a HELMET. It protects the brain from hard hits. Soccer doesn’t have head protection. Also, the doctor didn’t refer to my male children with respect to soccer (he included females). Unfortunately, he and the doctors in his neurological firm see a LOT of male and female kids with brain injuries as a result of playing soccer. As for Moms babying their boys... I can only assume that you meant me. Nope, I don’t baby him. I didn’t baby him when he became one of the youngest kids to go from adult Krav level 1 to krav level 2 AND I certainly don’t baby him with football. Sheesh....


56 posted on 11/29/2011 9:44:48 AM PST by momtothree
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: Bikkuri

I seriously think I cracked a rib laughing so hard. That is absolutely hysterical, Bikkuri!


57 posted on 11/29/2011 9:46:12 AM PST by momtothree
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: momtothree
KRAV ??? Sorry what is that, is it a sport or fighting or something? If a child is getting head injuries by heading a ball then I suggest that kid actually should learn how to head a ball . There hasn't been a problem with heading a ball over a hundred years around the world but of course the world does not pamper their boys as much as here .either. I've lived in a few countries and can honestly say that we as a country baby boys much more than most countries, hell we can';t even stand it if a boy has a fight . It's cringeworthy to see a parent run up to a kid after he falls and then make such a fuss as if he had broken his ankle or something. little billy falls, "Oh no are you alright, do you want a drink, oh no we'll get you home and take care of it right away for you, do you want a rest" It's a scratch for crying out loud, one parent used to bring a wrapped present for their boy so he could have it if he did not cry. Anyone thinking that one should wear a helmet LOL whilst playing soccer has no clue about the sport, never played it and has no clue how to head a ball. if one gets a head injury from heading a ball then they headed it wrong. A helmet playing soccer, LOL
58 posted on 11/29/2011 10:00:51 AM PST by manc (Marriage is between one man and one woman.Trolls get a life, I HATE OUR BIAS LIBERAL MEDIA.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: momtothree
It's not really the head injuries that make me wary about football. It's the arthritis the starts in around age 40. I was certainly no star not did I even play very long, but I wonder if I'd have all these aches and pains in neck and back now without the football 40 years ago. But I'd feel better about a son of mine playing on the line like yours. Play at that position tends more toward pushing and shoving and less toward the violent high speed collisions that makes parents nervous.

I'm not really positive about football helmets. I even tend to think the game would be safer without helmets and pads. Transform the game into something like rugby with forward passes. Maybe there would be more of the minor injuries, but less of the dangers inherent to and from padded linebackers and defensive backs who use their padded upper bodies as warheads on guided missiles.

Forgive my unsolicited advice. It's just that 40 years later, I wished I hadn't played the sport.

59 posted on 11/29/2011 10:09:10 AM PST by Colonel Kangaroo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: manc

KRAV MAGA. It comes from the Hebrew word, “krav” meaning “hand to hand combat”. It is the official self defense/fighting system of the Israeli Defense Forces. It involves striking techniques, wrestling and grappling. It is devised for real world situations and extremely efficient, brutal counter-attacks. It is used by the Mossad and Shin Bet plus their military and law enforcement. In the U.S., it is used/taught to branches of our military and the CIA.

Thus, if you like soccer than be happy. I don’t. I’d much rather watch football. Have a good day.


60 posted on 11/29/2011 10:15:38 AM PST by momtothree
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-71 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson