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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Sports Med Int Open 2021; 5(02): E37-E44
DOI: 10.1055/a-1338-1402
Orthopedics & Biomechanics

Head Impact Situations in Professional Football (Soccer)

Florian Beaudouin
1   Institute of Sports and Preventive Medicine, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
,
Daniel Demmerle
1   Institute of Sports and Preventive Medicine, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
,
Christoph Fuhr
1   Institute of Sports and Preventive Medicine, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
,
Tobias Tröß
1   Institute of Sports and Preventive Medicine, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
,
Tim Meyer
1   Institute of Sports and Preventive Medicine, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
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Abstract

To assess head impact incidents (HIIs) and to distinguish diagnosed head injuries from other incidents, a video observation analysis of match HIIs was conducted in the German Bundesliga (2017/18 season). Video recordings of each match were screened to identify the respective events. Head injury data were identified by a prospective injury registry. HII and head injury incidence rates (IR) were calculated with 95% CIs. The total number of HIIs was 1,362 corresponding to an IR of 134.9/1000 match hours (95% CI 127.9–142.2). In 123 HII (IR 12.2, 95% CI 10.2–14.5) the contact was classified as severe. Head contact with the opponent was the most frequent cause (85%). The most frequent mechanism was in 44% (combined) the arm and elbow-to-head, followed by head-to-head and hand-to-head contacts (each 13%). In 58%, the HIIs occurred during header duels. Twenty-nine head injuries were recorded (IR 2.9, 95% CI 2.0–4.1). Concussions/traumatic brain injuries accounted for 48%, head/facial fractures 24%, head/facial contusions 21%, and lacerations/abrasions 7%. The number of HIIs not classified as concussions/more severe trauma was high. Identification of HIIs and head injury severity should be improved during on-field assessment as many head injuries might go unrecognised based on the large number of HIIs.

Key words

health sequelae - concussion - traumatic brain injury - injury patterns - epidemiology


Publication History

Received: 15 September 2020
Received: 12 December 2020

Accepted: 14 December 2020

Article published online:
10 March 2021

© 2021. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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