One of our most recent publications: The Evaluation of the Cumulative Concussive Effects of Soccer Heading in the Youth Population, has continued to gain significant notoriety on a worldwide basis. The study was published in The International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion. The Institute has taken a leading role in informing the public on a worldwide basis, of the potential downside risk of repetitive heading the ball in the sport of soccer. In this particular study, we found that there was a negative relationship between heading and information processing and memory ability. As the amount of heading increased there was a negative effect on information processing and memory ability of the student athletes we followed over a 2-year time frame. Our recommendations as it relates to heading have been very simple and very straightforward: 1) Modify how children are trying to head the ball in practice. It is our experience that the vast majority of heading in the younger age groups occurs in the practice situation. We therefore suggest a lighter mass ball be utilized in these practice sessions. A beach ball which is the same size as a soccer ball is by far the most effective way of teaching the technique of heading yet, not leading to any of the deleterious effects. By utilizing this type of ball, it is our contention that we can virtually eliminate the concussive symptoms, as well as information processing and memory deficits that are currently occurring in the sport of soccer. 2.) It is our firm belief that student athletes, or any athlete of any age, complaining of headache, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, double vision or ringing in the ears immediately be removed from play. Unfortunately, even with these symptoms, a significant percentage of athletes are not being removed from play and are therefore being exposed to a more catastrophic injury. The so-called double impact effect. It is of utmost importance that the athlete not return to play until their symptoms have completely dissipated and have been evaluated by a trained medical professional. If an athlete is sent back into competition with ongoing symptoms, this can only lead to further injury and potential disaster. 3) To date there have been no helmets that have been found to be effective to reduce the force of impact to a statistically significant degree. At this time we are currently evaluating a number of different helmet and head protection devices to evaluate the potential effect of reducing the impact. By far however, the most effective way of reducing the heading impact is by utilizing the light mass beach ball in heading practices.

Since our study has been published it has gained significant international notoriety and, in fact, the chief executive of The Professional Footballers Association, based in London England, has gone on record: “People who smoke have a warning on a cigarette packet, and there might have to be a warning in football (soccer) that to much heading is potentially bad for your health.” This statement made by Gordon Taylor was made the day after a coroner ruled that persistent heading led to the death of a former player in England. Needless to say, we have made enormous gains in disseminating our information and are pleased that individuals at the international level have acknowledged our work and are acknowledging this "stealth type of injury pattern in one of the most popular sports worldwide - soccer."

The New South Wales Sporting Injuries Committee, which is based in Sydney, Australia and is linked with the Sydney Olympic Organizing Committee, has been very supportive of The Institute and our efforts over the years. The committee had chosen The Institute to be the home US base for the F.E. Johnson Memorial Fellowship winner, Dr. Andrew McIntosh. Dr. McIntosh is a leader in head impact research and joined us in our laboratory this past year. In conjunction with Rajkumar Israel, Beth Kedroske, and Dr. Janda, they evaluated, compared and contrasted various types of headgear from various types of sports. This particular set of research was long overdue in the sports medicine world. With the economies of the world turning downward, people’s individual’s finances shrinking, yet, the call for helmet use increasing this puts an undue strain on family finances. A number of individuals have come to us and asked if there is one particular type of helmet that could be used in a multitude of sports in order to protect children yet protect the family finances. In this particular study, we reviewed baseball helmets, cricket helmets, and hockey helmets. The results revealed that the most effective helmet for a multitude of sports which could also be translated into bicycling, skate boarding, skiing and snowboarding, would be a helmet which is actually made for the hockey community. We did find that the Bauer 5000 Helmet was by far the most effective at reducing the potential risk of head injury for all types of impacts. The Institute does not accept any money from the sports manufacturing group. We believe if we did there would be a conflict of interest. This has been our philosophy at The Institute since it’s inception in 1989. Therefore, this recommendation is based on pure science and has nothing to do with any type of sponsorship interactivity. We are pleased to report that the study authored by Dr. McIntosh and Dr. Janda will be published in an upcoming issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

In addition, an analysis was also performed of current cricket helmet standards in assessing the protectiveness of cricket helmets. Currently Australian and British standards are utilized to determine if a helmet is effective. In this particular study Dr. McIntosh and Dr Janda determined that the current standards implemented by the British and Australian testing societies is in fact not effective in evaluating the true injury protective capabilities of a helmet. Dr. McIntosh and Dr. Janda proposed a testing scenario, which was developed for baseball helmets in the United States. This testing process, which utilizes an air cannon to deliver the ball at game speed to the helmet, was found to be the most effective at assessing the potential benefit of a helmet in reducing head impact injury. This study will be presented at the Australian Conference on Science and Medicine in Sport.

In addition, Dr. Janda had a review article accepted for publication in The Clinical Orthopedics and Related Research Journal. The article “ The Prevention of Baseball and Softball Injuries” is a review article of The Institute’s work over the past decade as it relates to preventing injuries in the sports of baseball and softball. Needless to say, The Institute has been the leading organization on a worldwide basis of assessing injuries that are occurring in the sports of baseball and softball as well as their prevention. It was an honor that the Clinical Orthopedics and Research Related Editorial Board approached The Institute about authoring this particular study.

The Institute was also approached by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and, in fact, is co-presenting for a scientific exhibit at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons meeting entitled: The Impact of Injuries; Prevention Strategies. The Institute is a proud participant with the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Injury Prevention Committee.