Arizona limits some practices in high school soccer to prevent concussions
Jun 19, 2018, 4:05 AM | Updated: Jun 21, 2018, 1:54 pm
PHOENIX — Arizona is the only state in the nation to limit heading practices in high school soccer.
“You should be happy to live in Arizona if your son or daughter plays soccer for a high school sport,” Javier Cardenas, Barrow Neurological Institute’s concussion expert, told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Monday.
Arizona high schools limit heading practices during soccer drills to help reduce the opportunities to fatigue student athletes’ necks and cut down on concussions.
“We are the only state in the nation to do so and this regulation is just another extension of the things we have done in other sports, including football, where we have really tried to set an example for health and safety around concussions,” Cardenas said.
“Concussions in soccer are second only to football, especially when we are talking about youth sports,” he added.
Doctors believe muscles surrounding the neck and skull tire from heading exercises, which leave vulnerability to concussions.
“So we are always concerned about heading, especially when athletes go up for an aerial challenge. It’s really that impact that is the biggest issue as opposed to heading the ball itself,” he added.
But in regard to the cause of concussions in soccer, Cardenas said, “it tends to happen more from a collision.”
