title: [Head and neck injuries among Norwegian soccer players. A neurological, electroencephalographic, radiologic and neuropsychological evaluation].
abstract: 69 active football (soccer) players and 37 former members of the Norwegian national team were included in a neurological and electroencephalographic (EEG) study to investigate the incidence of head injuries, mainly caused by heading the ball. 3% of the active players and 30% of the former players complained of permanent problems such as headache, dizziness, irritability, impaired memory and pain in the neck. 35% of the active players and 32% of former players had from slightly abnormal to abnormal EEG, as against 13 and 11% of respective matched controls. There were fewer definitely abnormal EEG changes among typical headers (10%) than among "non-headers" (27%). The former players were also subjected to cerebral computed tomography (CT), a neuropsychological examination and a radiological examination of the cervical spine. One third of the players were found to have central cerebral atrophy and 81% to have from mild to severe (mostly mild to moderate) neuropsychological impairment. The radiological examination of the cervical spine revealed a significantly higher incidence and degree of degenerative changes than in a matched control group.
authors.affiliation: Kirurgisk avdeling, Sentralsjukehuset i Rogaland, Stavanger.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Tysvaer
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sortland
authors.forename: O V
authors.initials: OV
authors.lastname: Storli
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Løchen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019838:Neck Injuries; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
vernacular_title: Hode- og nakkeskader hos norske fotballspillere. En neurologisk, elektroencefalografisk, radiologisk og neuropsykologisk evaluering.