Study: Girls Play Soccer Despite Concussions

Girl soccer players in middle school often keep playing despite concussions, new research has found. And these injuries are common. About 13% of players had concussions in a typical season, the study found. That was higher than reported in previous studies of high school and college players. Researchers recruited 351 girls from elite soccer teams. They were 11 through 14 years old. The study covered the years 2008 through 2012. About 82% of the girls played for 1 year and 18% for 2 years of the study. Researchers sent weekly e-mails to parents during soccer season. They asked about any blows to the head and any symptoms that followed. Players who had these incidents got phone calls from research staff. They were asked how the injury occurred, whether they continued to play, and what type of care they got. In all, 59 concussions occurred.