October 2004 - No acute changes in postural control after soccer heading

S P Broglio, K M Guskiewicz, T C Sell and S M Lephart

British Journal of Sports Medicine

2004, Vol 38, pages 561-567.

Researchers in the United States have examined the effect of soccer heading on postural control in a group of forty college soccer players, with the findings published in The British Journal of Sports Medicine. Similar studies by previous authors have examined soccer heading as a potential source of long term brain injury, similar to that seen in some boxers.

Broglio et al used a randomised controlled method to assess the effects of heading a soccer ball fired from an automated machine and a simulation of this action (i.e. the player jumped and rotated the head as if heading the ball) on the player's subsequent ability to balance on a force plate.

During the discussion section, the authors compared the effects of a boxing punch and heading a football. Broglio et al cite previous research that reported a single punch acceleration of 53g from a professional boxer, compared with peak accelerations from headed footballs that can range from 49.3 to 54.7g when kicked at 35–40 mph from 30 yards away. While it is difficult to dispute this data, the question must be asked, 'Would you rather be punched in the head by a professional boxer, or header a football that has been crossed from 35 yards away?'

Broglio et al concluded that soccer heading in a controlled environment does not appear to be acutely detrimental to postural control. Their findings suggest that no acute changes in postural control result from heading drills involving 20 balls at a fixed speed. Further long term follow up studies may still be helpful to examine the chronic effects of regular soccer heading, as in the case of an elite level central defender, who may practise heading several times each week for a period of 15 to 20 years.

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