title: Sex differences in head acceleration during heading while wearing soccer headgear.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Researchers have indicated that female soccer players may be at greater risk of concussion compared with their male counterparts. Soccer headgear is marketed for reducing head acceleration and risk of concussion.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of sex and soccer headgear on head impact kinematics and dynamic stabilization during soccer heading.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Research laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-four college-aged soccer players (29 women, 15 men).
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a head impact model, participants performed 4 soccer headers under 3 headgear conditions (control, Head Blast Soccer Band, and Full90 Select Performance Headguard).
  
  
  METHODS
  Dependent variables assessed before soccer heading were head-neck anthropometrics and isometric neck muscle strength, and those assessed during soccer headers were resultant linear head acceleration, Head Injury Criteria (HIC(36)), and superficial neck muscle electromyography. Statistical analyses included multivariate and univariate analyses of variance with repeated measures, independent-samples t tests, appropriate follow-up analyses of variance and post hoc t tests, and Pearson product moment correlations (alpha = .05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Head acceleration in women was 32% and 44% greater than in men when wearing the Head Blast (21.5 g versus 16.3 g) and Full90 Select (21.8 g versus 15.2 g), respectively (P < .05). Compared with men, women exhibited 10% greater head accelerations (20.2 g versus 18.2 g) during the control condition (P = .164).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Female soccer players exhibited greater head accelerations than their male counterparts when wearing headgear. Our results are important clinically because they indicate that soccer headgear may not be an appropriate head injury prevention tool for all athletes.
authors.affiliation: Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA. rtierney@temple.edu
authors.forename: Ryan T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Tierney
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Higgins
authors.forename: Shane V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Caswell
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brady
authors.forename: Krista
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McHardy
authors.forename: Jeffrey B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Driban
authors.forename: Kurosh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Darvish
mesh_terms: D000054:Acceleration; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D006260:Head Protective Devices; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries*