In just a few short months, the biggest single-event sporting competition in the world, The FIFA World Cup, will kick off in Brazil and fans across the globe will tune in to watch some of the greatest athletes on the planet battle for the coveted Jules Rimet Trophy.
Even though hockey is such a mainstay of our culture here in Canada, make no mistake, Canadians are just as passionate about 'footy' as they are most other sports. On any given weekend, soccer fields throughout the Lower Mainland are filled with kids and adults kicking a ball around, either in organized leagues or pick up games.
In fact, nearly 3 million Canadians played soccer last year!
And while sports like hockey and football (the North American kind) often get most of the attention when it comes to the risk for concussion, soccer is no stranger to these traumatic head injuries. In a sport where heading a ball (and accidentally on occasion, the noggins of other players) is commonplace, it's not hard to see why the risk of concussions in soccer has created a lot of discussion in recent years.
So much so, The Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine published a series of recommendations some time ago to help reduce the risk of concussions to soccer players.
If you play soccer or coach youngsters playing the game, keep these recommendations in mind.
• Use age appropriate soccer balls. Size 3 balls for ages 10 and under, size 4 for ages 10-14, and size 5 for players over 14.
• Heading of the ball should be minimized amongst children. Repetitive heading should be avoided and not used in games until proper technique is learned.
• Proper heading technique should be taught by qualified coaches.
• Goalposts should be padded and secured to minimize tipping over onto players.
• Goalies face the greatest risk of concussions and players and referees should ensure precautions are taken to ensure their safety.
• Mouth guards should be worn at all times. These help reduce dental injuries but also reduce forces be transmitted through the jaw to the head.
• Finally, headgear is being investigated for its potential to protect the head and may provide further protection for athletes.
To read the full Discussion paper, you can download it here http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/august09/S-972359DiscussionPaperHeadInjuries.pdf
