The Effect of Soccer and Lacrosse Participation and Video Verified Head Impact Biomechanics on Clinical Concussion Measures

Neurocognitive changes have been found in participants of contact sports without documented concussions, raising concerns regarding the long-term consequences of subconcussive head impacts in sport. However, sex comparisons of neurocognitive change without reported concussions have not been completed for soccer or lacrosse athletes. Our purpose was to determine changes in clinical measures of cognitive function in uninjured collegiate lacrosse and soccer players. Men’s soccer (N=23), women’s soccer (N=36), men’s lacrosse (N=28) and women’s lacrosse (N=31) players wore xPatch head impact monitoring sensors for all practices and games. Sensors measured peak linear accelerations and peak rotational accelerations, allowing for daily density calculations. Participants completed the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 3 and Immediate Post-Concussion and Cognitive Testing at the beginning and end of the season. For women, multiple statistically significant relationships were identified [decreased reaction time with increased cumulative peak linear acceleration (rs=-0.30, P=0.03), peak linear acceleration daily density (rs=-0.31, P=0.04), and peak rotational acceleration daily density (rs=-0.31, P=0.03) and also Immediate Post-Concussion and Cognitive Testing symptom change increased with increased cumulative peak linear acceleration (rs=-0.38, P=0.008) and cumulative peak rotational acceleration (rs=-0.37, P=0.009)]. For men, cognitive change scores, specifically concentration, had the only statistically significant relationship with cumulative peak rotational acceleration (rs=0.32, P=0.02). Men had a greater number of changes over the course of the season compared to women; however, the changes did not appear related to head impact biomechanics. Women had many statistically significant correlations between head impacts and deterioration in some constructs, especially symptoms.