@article{ref1,
title="Match situations leading to head injuries in professional male football (soccer)-a video-based analysis over 12 years",
journal="Clinical journal of sport medicine",
year="2018",
author="Beaudouin, Florian and Aus der Fünten, Karen and Tröß, Tobias and Reinsberger, Claus and Meyer, Tim",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To identify risk situations promoting head injuries in professional male football (soccer) and to investigate the impact of a rule change in 2006 punishing elbow-head contacts. <br><br>DESIGN: Analysis of video sequences of head events leading to head injury. PARTICIPANTS: Professional football players of the first male German Bundesliga. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Observational criteria of head impacts on video recordings (players' actions preceding head injuries, foul play-referee's decision and assessment of rater, ball possession, on-pitch medical treatment, and consequences of head impact). <br><br>RESULTS: Three hundred thirty-four head injuries were reported in kicker Sportmagazin corresponding to an incidence rate of 2.25 (95% confidence interval 2.01-2.51) per 1000 player match hours. The injured player predominantly jumped (60%), headed the ball (36%), or ran forwards (20%); the noninjured players mainly jumped (64%), headed the ball (27%), or raised the elbow to the head (23%). Free ball situations (2 players challenge for the ball) caused most of the head injuries (81%). The players' action &quot;raising the elbow&quot; during a head injury seemed to be lower after the rule change. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Jumping for the ball with the intention of heading is the predominant action associated with head injury risk. Head injuries occur most often when players challenge for the ball in a header duel. As head injuries bear the potential risk of long-term health sequelae, the identification of situational circumstances is essential to develop preventative means in the future.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1050-642X",
doi="10.1097/JSM.0000000000000572",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0000000000000572"
}