Head Injuries in Soccer

In brief: Although soccer is considered a safe sport, fatal head injuries have occurred on rare occasion. Mechanisms of injury include heading the ball improperly and making head-to-head contact; injury may also occur when a forcefully kicked ball strikes a player's head. Goalkeepers most commonly sustain collision injuries when the head strikes the goalpost, the playing field, or another player's elbow, foot, or head. The author reviews the medical literature on soccer injuries and contends that rule changes and other measures may be more appropriate than the use of helmets to prevent head injuries.