Traumatic Brain Injury and Soccer

TEXAS. Could your children’s summer soccer camp be putting him or her at risk of traumatic brain injury? The New York Times recently reported on studies that have found that heading a ball can create as much forces as football players experience in a tackle where helmets collide. Could children be facing similar risks that young football players experience? We have heard quite a bit recently about the risk of head injury for youth football players, but what about soccer?

Many news outlets, like Vox and the New York Times, have reported in recent years about the real risk that long-term football players face. Repeated blows to the head have been known to be linked to a condition known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. CTE is a serious, degenerative brain condition. Patients suffering from the condition can experience violent behavior, forgetfulness, depression, or language problems. The early stages of the disease involves changes in memory, headaches, and attention deficit problems. Even minor blows to the head have been shown to put a person at risk of later developing CTE.

While football is the most often cited example of a sport that puts a person at risk of CTE, heading in soccer can also put players at risk. U.S. Youth Soccer, in 2015, banned heading in games where the players were under 11 years old. Yet, should older players be allowed to head the ball? Should the practice be allowed period, given the real risk it poses to long term health? Researchers studied children in Puerto Rico who were permitted to head the ball. The results showed that the forces generated were sufficient to cause a concussion. When the children were asked to take cognitive tests, their scores went down after they headed a ball in a game.

Sports are not the only place where minor concussions can lead to later risks. Minor car accidents, and even whiplash symptoms are now being evaluated in light of new research on CTE. Some doctors believe that whiplash symptoms may be linked to minor concussion. It has been shown that individuals can suffer brain injuries without even hitting their heads. The motion of the brain moving back and forth within the skull is sufficient to cause damage.

The Cooper Law Firm are personal injury lawyers in Texas who are closely watching as new research on CTE is released. Victims of even minor car accidents may be able to use these new studies to show that their injuries can have real, long-term effects. If you’ve been hurt in a car accident, even a minor one, and are experiencing memory problems, depression, trouble sleeping, or other cognitive changes, you may want to speak to your doctor and consider reaching out to the Cooper Law Firm. Our firm fights for the rights of traumatic brain injury victims, helping them seek damages to cover their medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and lost wages.

Cooper Law Firm

501 N Third St,

Longview, TX 75601

Telephone: (903) 297-0037