Study Shows that Girls Still Play Through Concussion Injuries in Middle School Soccer

Girls that play soccer in middle school are still vulnerable to concussion injuries, according to a new study. And, despite medical advice, middle school soccer players still play through their injuries.

The study was published on January 20th in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

As awareness increases about the damage of concussions on sports players and military personnel, more research is being done regarding student athletes and concussion injuries. This new study, co-authored by Dr. Melissa Schiff, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Washington School of Public Health, is one of the few that looks into concussion rates and treatment in middle school-aged girls who play soccer.

“While high school athletes are represented in the concussion literature, youth players traditionally lack injury tracking systems and are largely unstudied, which is concerning since younger age and female sex are risk factors for sports-related concussion,” write the study authors.

The study evaluated 351 girls between the ages of 11 and 14 – and in that group of student athletes, Schiff says, her research found 59 concussions. The girls’ symptoms included dizziness, headache, drowsiness, and concentration problems.

The rate of concussion injuries found in the study is higher than has been reported for either high school or college level women’s soccer, which is a serious problem because middle school-aged children are still physically developing.

“Heading” the ball – a practice of hitting the ball with the head rather than the feet – was to blame for 30% of the injuries. Heading the ball was also found to cause concussion 23 times more often during a game than during practice.

More than half of the concussions were caused by running into another player.

Schiff found that, in spite of medical professionals’ recommendations for years, 56% of the girls’ concussions were never evaluated by a doctor or other health care professional. And, in spite of doctors’ recommendations, 58% of the girls kept playing, although symptoms persisted after the initial game when the concussion occurred.

“We were surprised at the number of girls reporting symptoms but more surprised at the number that played despite symptoms and never saw a health professional for their symptoms,” Dr. John O’Kane, the lead investigator of the study, told Reuters Health. “Kids should understand that these symptoms could indicate a potentially serious injury and that they must stop play when they occur and notify their parents.”

Another pediatric concussion study showed that children need physical and mental rest while recovering from concussions, and should wait until all symptoms are completely gone before doing homework, taking tests, or playing sports.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Personal Injury Cases Related to Concussions and TBI

If your child received a concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a result of negligence on the part of the school or sports league, you may have a personal injury case. The attorneys at Strom Law, LLC can help. We offer free consultations to help get you on the road to recovery, so contact us today. 803.252.4800.