Football: Heading and Neurodegenerative Diseases
By Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw
Association football continues to be under pressure to investigate the relationship between heading and neurodegenerative conditions, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, which have been found in some retired players.
For example, in January of this year, an experienced coroner held that repeatedly heading footballs is "likely" to have contributed to the brain disease, which was a factor in the death of Gordon McQueen, the former Leeds United and Manchester United defender.
Following new research conducted at Loughborough University in England, sports scientists believe that footballs can be designed to reduce the impact of heading, after discovering that it caused a previously unknown pressure wave transfer of energy to the brain. They found that this was up to 55 times greater in some footballs rather than others, using a model head to test energy transfer through the head when struck by footballs.
According to the lead researcher at Loughborough University, Dr Ieuan Phillips:
"These findings provide opportunities to work towards ball designs and testing specifications that minimise energy transfer into the brain.”
And added:
"We're hoping that this discovery provides some valuable information that could look more specifically at the potential causes of the disease that we're seeing in retired players.”
Let us very much hope so!
Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw may be contacted by e-mail at ‘
