How Soccer’s Header Ban Reduced Youth Concussions by 26%

Remember when heading the ball (at all ages) was just part of the game? Well, it turns out that simple rule change back in 2016 has made a world of difference for young soccer players across America.

A new study scheduled for presentation at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons meeting in San Diego reveals something parents and coaches should be paying attention to: banning or limiting headers in youth soccer has led to a dramatic 26% reduction in concussions treated in emergency rooms.

The Impact of a Simple Change

The U.S. Soccer Federation’s 2016 decision to ban headers for players under 10 and limit practice time for older kids (11-13) to just 30 minutes weekly has proven remarkably effective.

Before the rule change, concussions accounted for over 8% of soccer-related ER visits. After implementation, that number dropped to just 6%.

Dr. Anikar Chhabra, senior researcher and director of sports medicine at Mayo Clinic Arizona, noted, “Although not all concussions result from headers, a measurable percentage still do, and it is encouraging to observe a trend indicating a decline in concussion rates.”

Related: What Age Can You Head the Ball in Soccer?

Girls Face Higher Risks

One particularly interesting insight from the study is the gender disparity in concussion rates. Despite boys having nearly twice as many overall soccer injuries (38,000 compared to 21,000 for girls), concussions represented about 10% of injuries among girls versus only 6% among boys.

This finding suggests that protective measures may need to be tailored differently for female players, who appear more susceptible to head injuries on the field.

Continued Improvement

Perhaps most encouraging is the trend over time. Both boys and girls saw their lowest concussion rates in 2023 – just 4% for boys and 8% for girls – compared to 8% and nearly 11% respectively back in 2012.

This steady improvement indicates that increased awareness, better coaching techniques, and policy enforcement are having lasting positive effects beyond the initial rule change.

The study analyzed data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, tracking emergency room visits nationwide. While researchers caution that the findings are preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal, the results provide compelling evidence that common-sense policy changes can make youth sports significantly safer.

Dr. Eugenia Lin, an orthopedic surgery resident at Mayo Clinic Arizona and researcher on the study, emphasized the importance of measuring policy effectiveness: “While policies are important, we don’t always have the data to determine the effectiveness.”

With nearly 3.9 million children playing organized soccer annually in the U.S., these findings have far-reaching implications for youth safety in one of America’s most popular sports.

Parents and coaches should continue to discourage heading the ball at younger ages. The risks simply outweigh the benefits.

As our understanding of brain injuries evolves, so too should our approaches to protecting young athletes!