Traumatic Brain Injury in Soccer: Measurement and Characterization of Head Impacts and Modeling Deleterious Mechanical Response of Glial Scarring
Abstract
The prevalence of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in contact sports generates serious concern for repetitive head impacts and the potential for subsequent chronic brain damage in athletes [1–3]. Research has shown the rate of occurrence of concussion in soccer is comparable to, and in some cases exceeds, traditionally more violent contact sports, such as football and ice hockey [4–9]. It is important to assess the parameters influencing head impacts of soccer athletes and the propensity for neurophysiological detriment. This work examines in-field head impact data collection, evaluation of soccer ball parameters, and preliminary mixture theory analysis of glial scarring. Athlete participants across three high schools and one middle school were studied using attachable sensors to record head impacts during sport events. The data provided context for neurophysiological changes observed through functional MRI and neurocognitive testing. Evaluating controllable parameters of soccer balls showed that inflation pressure is a sensitive influencer (S = 0.71) of peak impact force and decreasing pressure from 16psi to 8psi can result in a 20% decrease in peak impact force. Water submersion testing showed a size 5 soccer ball could see a 37% mass increase within a standard game duration, quickly surpassing the 474.9g NCAA water absorption limit [10]. A preliminary mixture theory analysis of glial scar tissue laid the foundation for examining the role of local stresses in injured brain tissue on cascading injury, the consequence of repeated head impacts. Overall, results indicate repeated impacts subject the brain to significant mechanical loading and controllable changes can be made to reduce the injury risk from repeated head impacts in soccer.
Degree
M.S.E.
Advisors
Nauman, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Mechanical engineering|Biomechanics
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