Key result
High exposure to purposeful soccer heading (>20 headers/season) showed no statistically significant differences in HRV metrics compared to low exposure, though moderate practical differences were noted.
Why the study?
The study evaluated the effects of cumulative purposeful soccer heading on autonomic nervous system function in female youth soccer players.
Does high exposure to purposeful soccer heading alter autonomic function measured by HRV in female youth soccer players?
Cohort (n=22)
Does high exposure to purposeful soccer heading alter autonomic function measured by HRV in female youth soccer players?
Effect estimate: r = 0.35
p-value: p=NS
Performing more than 20 purposeful headers in a soccer season may be associated with altered autonomic function in female youth players, though statistical significance was not reached.
No significant HRV differences with high heading exposure; hypothesis-generating for autonomic effects in female youth players and requires prospective validation.
This study evaluated the effects of cumulative purposeful soccer heading on autonomic nervous system function in 22 female youth soccer players (13.3 ± 0.9 years). A 10 minute electrocardiogram recording was collected at baseline and following the 20 game season (post-season) to calculate measures of heart rate variability (HRV), including standard deviation of the normal-normal intervals, total power, high frequency (HF), low frequency (LF), LF:HF, normalized HF and normalized LF. Participants were categorized into low- (<20 headers per season; n = 13) and high- (>20 headers per season; n = 9) exposure groups. Mann–Whitney U tests demonstrated no significant differences between groups for any HRV metric. However, the increased normalized LF power (low exposure 8.67 and high exposure −31.17, respectively; r = 0.35) and LF:HF power (−6.39 and 15.80, respectively; r = 0.35), between groups had moderate practical significance. Therefore, female youth players who perform more than 20 purposeful headers during a soccer season may exhibit altered autonomic function.
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Bonn et al. (2021) conducted a cohort in Healthy (youth soccer players) (n=22). High exposure to purposeful soccer heading (>20 headers per season) vs. Low exposure (<20 headers per season) was evaluated on Heart rate variability (HRV) metrics (r = 0.35, p=NS). High exposure to purposeful soccer heading (>20 headers/season) showed no statistically significant differences in HRV metrics compared to low exposure, though moderate practical differences were noted.
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