Youth Soccer Header Study
Condition: Brain Injuries
MeSH terms: Brain Injuries
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This study aims to establish and validate age-based head kinematics, force-strain models and
      brain injury probability maps from sensor worn data during soccer heading tasks. 40 youth
      soccer players will be recruited from the Madison, WI area and can expect to be on study for
      2 months.
    

Detailed description: 
      Despite the large popularity of soccer worldwide and in the US, the majority of research on
      sport-related head impacts has been concentrated in male American football players using
      head-impact measurement sensors in instrumented football helmets. The limited research in
      soccer players likewise has focused on males, particularly those playing at an elite level,
      such as collegiate or professional. Unfortunately there is a paucity of data on youth soccer
      athletes in regards to how these younger players actually head the ball and what forces they
      experience. Measurement of head impacts is essential to further understanding the potential
      risks associated with heading in youth soccer, and to further inform rule or policy changes
      that limit head impact exposure in these younger age groups.

      Specific Aim: Establish and validate age-based head kinematics, force-strain models and brain
      injury probability maps from sensor worn data during soccer heading tasks.

      In this study, age-and sex-specific force strain models will be validated using a study of
      soccer headers under controlled conditions. Youth soccer players in 6th-12th grade will be
      recruited to participate in a header training session while wearing motion sensor headbands.
      All children will undergo MRI scanning and baseline assessment of neurocognitive function,
      psychological health, and academic aptitude and performance. Participant-specific finite
      element models will be created from MRI scans, and principle tissue strains will be
      determined based on head motion profiles during soccer headers and compared between age- and
      sex-specific groups.

      High fidelity head kinematics will be acquired during soccer headers under controlled
      conditions using a custom headband embedded with multi-axis motion sensors. MRI scans will be
      obtained in all participants, and individualized and population averaged (to reduce
      computational burden), whole brain tractographs will be created. New participants-specific
      finite element models will be generated using geometry-adaptive mesh morphing techniques to
      match the head morphology of each subject using a baseline FE head model (to reduce model
      development time). The linear and angular acceleration histories obtained from the pre- and
      post-training soccer heading tasks will be applied directly to the FE models to simulate the
      head motion of each participant. The principal strains will be determined for each heading
      task, and brain injury probability maps will be generated based on the resulting tissue
      strain. Brain injury risk will be assessed through the incorporation of a cellular injury
      criterion embedded into the finite element simulations, with smaller strains correlating with
      lower injury risk. Soccer header force-strain relationships will be compared between age
      groups, and pre-and post-training session. This analysis will provide insight into the effect
      of age and training on improving heading techniques and reducing the risk of injury.
    

Intervention name(s): Header Session; MRI Session
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Procedure
Intervention description(s): Participant fit with commercially available Storelli ExoShield Head Guard that has been fit with head impact sensors; participant completes a set of basic standing header tasks which mimic the types of purposeful heading anticipated to occur in actual play in soccer practice and games.; Scanning will include high resolution T1w imaging for 3-dimensional structural analyses, DTI and resting-state MRI for assessment of structural and functional brain network connectivity, as well as susceptibility-weighted imaging and multicomponent relaxometry to assess for microhemorrhages and myelin damage.
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Basic Science
Keywords: soccer; concussion; sports injuries