Speaker: Eugenia Lin, MD, Orthopaedic Surgery Resident, Mayo Clinic Arizona
Eugenia Lin, MD: Hi, I'm Eugenia Lin, and I'm a 3rd year resident in orthopaedic surgery at Mayo Clinic, Arizona in Phoenix.
Study Introductions & Objectives
Eugenia Lin, MD: Our study aimed to determine if the United States Soccer Federation's 2016 policy banning headers for players under the age of 10 and limiting headers for players ages 11 to 13 were associated with fewer soccer-related concussions compared to other soccer injuries. We analyzed emergency department visits for soccer injuries from 2012 to 2023 and compared concussion rates before and after the policy was implemented.
Key Takeaways & Discussion Points
Eugenia Lin, MD: The key takeaway from our study was that the proportion of concussions among all soccer-related injuries in the age groups we examined decreased from 8.2% in 2012 to 2015 to 6.1% in 2020 to 2023. This overall represents a 25.6% reduction in the relative risk of soccer-related concussions presenting to U.S. emergency departments. Older players and female players had higher rates of concussions compared to younger players and male players in our cohort.
Impact on Patient Care
Eugenia Lin, MD: While our findings don't prove that the policy of the United States Soccer Federation caused a decrease in concussion injuries among our youth soccer players, our study does establish an association between policy implementation and a decrease in the proportion of soccer-related concussions. The USSF header policy may have ultimately improved player safety by reducing head impacts in young soccer players.
