Women ‘more likely to suffer brain trauma’ from heading footballs

Women football players are far more at risk from heading the ball than men, according to research.

Scientists found low-level brain damage linked to repeatedly heading the ball was more than twice as extensive in female players.

Gender-specific guidelines may be necessary to avoid football-related head injuries in women, the US researchers suggested.

Lead scientist Professor Michael Lipton, from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, said: “Based on our study, which measured objective changes in brain tissue rather than self-reported symptoms, women do seem more likely than men to suffer brain trauma from heading soccer balls.”