Conhecimento, percepções de riscos, atitudes e estratégias de proteção de lesões na cabeça em futebolistas profissionais

Abstract

Football allows its practice with total exposure of the head. This characterization of football exposes risks of head injuries, neuro-cognitive or physical sequelae for the rest of life in its practitioners. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, risk perceptions, attitudes and protection strategies of head injuries in Brazilian professional football players. Fifty players (25 ± 6 years old; 6 ± 6 years of career; ~26% of them representing Serie A and Serie B) answered an online questionnaire. The vast majority of them did not report having been diagnosed with any type of head injury resulting from play or training (n= 45, 90%); one athlete reported two diagnoses (30 days absence, each). The game positions (defenders, forwards and midfielders); the game events ("aerial ball dispute", "head kick preventing goal kick" and "after corner kick"); and its contexts ("refereeing conniving with brusque/violent game", "high intensity" and "intense heat") were the items with higher attributable risks for head injuries. Symptoms such as pain in the head, neck and dizziness were experienced by most of them after heading the ball. According to them "players choose to continue in the game even if they suffer a blow to the head" due to “football culture”; and that head injuries seem to have no relation "with the circumference measurement, weight and material of the ball"; they are believers that the load of headers performed is below the predicted safe number (100%, training; 67%, game). It was noticed a higher predisposition for the use of mouthguard (n= 20, 40%; helmet, n= 7, 14%); but believing more in the protection coming from the helmets (n= 43, 86%; mouthguard n= 20, 40%); being the "discomfort", "absence of awareness campaigns" and "not attending personal preference" the main barriers for the implementation and use of such equipment. Only one athlete (Serie A, n= 1, 2%) reported the use of mouthguard. Players are skeptical that in the future there will be a "ban on ball headers at a young age" or that "the use of mouth guards or helmets will be mandatory". But they believe that there will be more "exercise programs aimed at strengthening the neck muscles". Such findings may direct sports and public health policies.