Title : Concussion mechanisms among high school female soccer athletes: An epidemiological analysis
Abstract:
Soccer is one of the most popular sports worldwide. Studies show that female athletes have a higher concussion incidence rate in soccer compared to men. These differences could possibly be due to anatomical differences, and differences in playing styles. Further research would be helpful do determine the most common mechanism for concussions in women’s soccer. The long term health and outcomes of resulting concussions is of concern. The purpose of this study was to review the epidemiological data related to the mechanisms of concussions, as a result of soccer, specifically within female high school players. Research data was obtained through the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) from the years 2020-2023 for the product code 1267 specifically female players diagnosed with concussions. Narrative reports for each record were analyzed for potential mechanisms for the incident. The most relevant information from the study regarded the location where the concussion occurred, as well as the overall mechanism, or how the injury occurred. The location of concussions that occurred at places of recreation indicated there are different playing styles, less supervision, and less structured play in versus concussions occurring during varsity play. The top mechanism for concussion was being hit with the ball or incorrectly heading the ball. Recommendation for a correction of fundamental skills and possibly no longer allow headers in recreational sports would be indicated. Being hit with the ball is relatively impossible to stop from occurring but a better concussion protocol should be investigated so that a diagnosis can come sooner.
