Key result
An acute bout of 40 controlled soccer headers did not significantly alter heart rate variability or cardiac baroreceptor sensitivity metrics compared to sham or control conditions.
Why the study?
It was unclear to what extent heart rate variability and cardiac baroreceptor sensitivity are altered immediately following repetitive head impacts from an acute bout of soccer heading.
Does an acute bout of controlled soccer heading alter heart rate variability and cardiac baroreceptor sensitivity in elite male soccer players?
RCT (n=7)
Open-label
Pseudo-random crossover
No
Does an acute bout of controlled soccer heading alter heart rate variability and cardiac baroreceptor sensitivity in elite male soccer players?
p-value: p=>0.144
An acute bout of controlled soccer heading induced transient concussion-like symptoms but did not significantly alter autonomic function as measured by heart rate variability and baroreceptor sensitivity.
Acute heading showed no HRV or BRS changes in this small cohort; leaves open cumulative effects and needs larger prospective studies.
Objectives There is elevated unease regarding how repetitive head impacts, such as those associated with soccer heading, contribute to alterations in brain function. This study examined the extent heart rate variability (HRV) and cardiac baroreceptor sensitivity (BRS) metrics are altered immediately following an acute bout of soccer heading. Methods Seven male elite soccer players (24.1 ± 1.5 years) completed 40 successful soccer headers in 20-min. The headers were performed under controlled circumstances using a soccer ball launcher located 25 meters away and using an initial ball velocity of 77.5 ± 3.7 km/h (heading condition). An accelerometer (xPatch) on the right mastoid process quantified linear/rotational head accelerations. Participants also completed sham (body contact) and control (non-contact) sessions. A three-lead ECG and finger photoplethysmography characterized short-term spontaneous HRV/cardiac BRS, before and after each condition. The SCAT3 indexed symptom scores pre-post exposures to all three conditions. Results During the heading condition, cumulative linear and rotational accelerations experienced were 1,574 ± 97.9 g and 313,761 ± 23,966 rad/s 2 , respectively. Heart rate trended toward an increase from pre- to post-heading ( p = 0.063 ), however HRV metrics in the time-domain ( ps > 0.260 ) and frequency-domain ( ps > 0.327 ) as well as cardiac BRS ( ps > 0.144 ) were not significantly changed following all three conditions. Following the heading condition, SCAT3 symptom severity increased ( p = 0.030 ) with a trend for symptom score augmentation ( p = 0.078 ) compared to control and sham. Conclusion Whereas, symptoms as measured by the SCAT3 were induced following an acute bout of controlled soccer heading, these preliminary findings indicate they were not accompanied by alterations to autonomic function. Ultimately, this demonstrates further research is needed to understand the physiological underpinnings of alterations in brain function occurring immediately after a bout of soccer heading and how these may, over time, contribute to long-term neurological impairments.
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Smirl et al. (2022) conducted an RCT in Healthy soccer players (sub-concussive head impacts) (n=7). Controlled soccer heading vs. Sham (body contact) and control (non-contact) was evaluated on Heart rate variability (time and frequency domains) and cardiac baroreceptor sensitivity (p=>0.144). An acute bout of 40 controlled soccer headers did not significantly alter heart rate variability or cardiac baroreceptor sensitivity metrics compared to sham or control conditions.
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