Comparison of impact data in hockey, football, and soccer

Purpose: To compare accelerational forces to the head in high school-level football, hockey, and soccer athletes. Methods: Acceleration of impact was measured within the helmet of high scho ol hockey and football players during actual game play, A triaxial accelero meter was placed at the vertex of the helmet immediately adjacent to the pl ayers head. Peak acceleration tin g's) was measured and the Gadd Severity I ndex and Head Injury Criterion score calculated during actual play periods in several games over four seasons. We also recorded acceleration of head i mpacts in high school-level soccer players who headed a soccer hall while e quipped with a football helmet instrumented identically to the helmet used to record during football games. Results: Peak accelerations inside the helmet for football averaged 29.2 g compared with 35 g for hockey (p =.004). There were no incidents of concuss ion or other traumatic brain injury during the recorded periods. In contras t, the peak accelerations associated with heading a soccer ball was 54.7 g (p = 2 x 10(-5) vs, hockey). Conclusion: Peak accelerations as measured at the surface of the head were 160 to 180% greater from heading a soccer ball than from routine (noninjuri ous) impacts during hockey or football, respectively. The effect of cumulat ive impacts at this level may lead to neurologic sequelae.