A custom-made mouthguard reduces head acceleration during soccer heading and prevents acute electrophysiological and cognitive changes in amateur male players.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Repetitive head impacts related to soccer heading might lead to long-term risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Helping to stabilise the head-neck-torso complex could be a preventive strategy. This study aims to investigate head acceleration and heading-related acute electrophysiological and cognitive changes in soccer players, with a custom-made mouthguard (CM-MG) and without.

Methods

In this crossover study, 18 amateur male soccer players (age 22 ± 3 y) performed ten consecutive headers from machine-projected balls, with and without a CM-MG. Head accelerations during heading were recorded. Peak force of neck muscles were assessed. Before and immediately after heading, cognitive function was assessed, and the cortical silent period (cSP) was measured from the motor

SUBMITTER: Pitteu C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11999492 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature