Research suggests heading a football is too dangerous for children

Doctors: Do not try this at home

Heading a football can be dangerous for children and the trauma suffered can cause untreatable brain injuries, according to one of Britain’s leading neuroscience departments.

Dr Michael Grey, from the Motor Neuroscience department of the University of Birmingham's School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, told Sky News,”The neck muscles aren't yet developed for the size of the children's head at that age. (Also) their brains are still developing so they're still in a very vulnerable period for taking a blow to the head, we don't yet know if repetitive injury such as this is safe for professionals either”

“I do not think that children should stop sport...But we do need to look at rule changes and the way we train children...Children should not be heading the ball. We don't know at what age children's necks become strong enough to withstand the movement of the head when the head is struck by the ball...the brain starts to shake and rotates when the head is struck by the ball (causing additional damage).”

The Football Association on heading

A new FA guideline released this week has granted the decision to club doctors on whether a player can return to a match after suffering a concussion. Last year a barrage of criticism had been directed at the English footballing body after Hugo Lloris, the Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper, was allowed to play on after suffering a head injury, but missed out on subsequent matches due to concussion.

A report has recently been made by some British Parliamentarians called ‘Concussion can Kill’, calling for parliamentary investigations into head injuries in sport and warning that lawsuits can follow.

The latest cautionary statements from the medical field come on the heels of a scheduled meeting between the FA and the family of former West Bromwich footballer Jeff Astle to discuss research and awareness about the game. Jeff’s daughter Dawn Astle told Sky: “We know what killed dad, the coroner's court said it was industrial disease: heading footballs killed dad and the Football Association just don't acknowledge it...(Children playing football) need to know the risks, then they can make informed choices.”

Jeff Astle, whose heading caused him to develop dementia

Dr.Grey added,”We need to properly educate parents, coaches, referees about secondary concussion syndrome, we need to invest in research but the biggest thing we need to do is follow the existing guidelines, which include a test for players.” The FA has a sorry excuse regarding this. It has said it has no new information on the link between heading and brain damage because all the young players involved in a 10-year study, commissioned after Astle’s death, didn’t make it to a professional standard and stopped playing.

The FA released a new educational video featuring several big names this week, but new rules of heading could be required if the medical fraternity has its way.

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