As stated previously, heading should not technically be introduced until the age of 12. With this said, heading often occurs at a much younger age. Younger athletes are more likely to sustain injuries from heading a soccer ball due to their small stature, poor technique, and weaker musculature. The first step in prevention of injury is to learn the proper techniques of heading a soccer ball. When dealing with athletes of any age, this is the responsibility of the soccer coach.
-Mansell J, Sitler M, Stearne D, Swanik K, Tierney R. Resistance training and head-neck segment dynamic stabilizationin male and female collegiate soccer players. J Athl Train. 2005;40:310-319.
Correct Biomechanics
The correct technique involves using the frontal bone just below the hairline (the hardest part of the skull) while simultaneously isometrically contracting the neck musculature.
The soccer player should then apply a counterforce to the impacting ball by flexing at the trunk.
By performing this action as described, the athlete's body becomes a single, rigid unit that lowers the risk of injury by decreasing the rotational or linear forces to the head as forces generated by the ball are dispersed across the athlete's body.
Keep in Mind: Many concussions are the result of a soccer ball colliding with the head of an unsuspecting soccer player. The neck musculature does not maintain the head in a rigid position at ball inmpact, forcing the cranium into the brain and resulting in a coup injury. If the brain then rebounds into the opposite side of the inner cranium, a contrecoup injury can result.
This is demonstrated in this video by A.D.A.M:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY7J7bccNoU
-Broglio M, Broglio S, Ju Y, Sell T. The efficacy of soccer headgear. J Athl Train. 2003;38:220-224.
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