Soccer Headgear and Concussion Risk: What Football Players Should Know

Soccer Headguards and Concussion Risk: What Football Players Should Know

Soccer (football) headguards can reduce concussion risk, but only when it meaningfully reduces the rotational forces transmitted to the brain during head impacts. No headgear in soccer, or in any sport, can prevent concussion. However, concussion risk may be reduced when rotational force transmission to the brain is reduced.

Many soccer headguards are designed primarily to cushion impact to the skull and scalp. However, modern neuroscience and biomechanical research shows that brain injury in sport is driven primarily by rotational acceleration of the brain inside the skull, which causes shear strain in brain tissue. Headgear that reduces surface impact alone might reduce visible injury but is unlikely to be reducing brain injury risk.

Independent biomechanical laboratory testing demonstrates that protective headgear varies widely in its ability to reduce concussion risk. Some products show measurable reductions in concussion risk, while others show limited protective benefit because they were not designed to reduce rotational forces.

In the US, players search for soccer headgear. In the UK and much of the world, the same category is usually discussed as football headgear. In both cases any head-worn gear should be judged on its ability to protect the brain. Understanding this protective difference is critical when evaluating whether soccer headgear can actually reduce concussion risk.

What Causes Brain Injury in Football (Soccer)?

Football is commonly associated with heading the ball, but research shows that many head impacts occur during aerial challenges, tackles, collisions, and falls.

When the head is struck at an angle or comes into contact with the ground, rapid angular acceleration occurs. The skull rotates while the brain lags behind due to inertia. This relative motion produces shear strain within brain tissue, This is associated with  tearing of tiny blood vessels and brain cells resulting, over time, in the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier and the creation of damaging microscopic neuro-inflammation ^[1].

Over time, repeated exposure to rotational forces through frequent sub-concussive impacts can contribute to cumulative brain injury and the potential risk of triggering longer-term neurodegenerative consequences, even in players who have never been diagnosed with a concussion ^[2].

Sub-concussive impacts are estimated to occur hundreds of times more frequently than concussions in sport, meaning their cumulative effect is an important factor in long-term brain health.

Why Studies Say Soccer Headgear Doesn’t Work

Studies have reported that soccer headgear does not significantly reduce concussion incidence. However, these nuanced findings are often misunderstood.

One of the most widely cited studies is a 2019 cluster randomised controlled trial of adolescent soccer players, which evaluated concussion incidence among players wearing soccer protective headgear compared with those not wearing headgear ^[3].

The study concluded that overall concussion incidence was not significantly different between groups.

However, a deeper examination of the data reveals an important detail:

Most participants wore 3-star rated products in the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab rating system, with only about 40% wearing 5-star rated headgear.

Virginia Tech recommends only 4-star and 5-star products as providing meaningful concussion protection. Within the study, the highest-rated Virginia Tech star products demonstrated statistically significant reductions in relative concussion risk, with approximately 60% reduction in risk ratio compared with lower-rated headgear.

This highlights an important scientific point: Headgear effectiveness depends heavily on how well it reduces the forces associated with brain injury, particularly rotational forces.

Why Impact Reduction Does Not Equal Brain Protection

Many soccer headguards promote claims such as:

• impact protection
• shock absorption
• impact force reduction

These claims usually refer to linear acceleration, which describes straight-line movement of the skull during impact.

However, brain injury is primarily driven by rotational acceleration, which occurs when the head rotates rapidly following an angled impact ^[4].

Rotational acceleration produces shear forces within the brain that are associated with:

• axonal injury
• tearing of small blood vessels
• blood–brain barrier disruption
• neuro-inflammation

Products designed to reduce linear impact force do not necessarily reduce rotational forces. As a result, padding-based headgear may cushion the scalp while providing limited protection against the underlying mechanism of brain injury.

Comparison of Virginia Tech Rated Soccer Headgear

Rezon Halos® is differentiated by published rotational force reduction, CE/UKCA Category II PPE certification, and patented Rotection® technology.

While many soccer headguards rely on foam padding to absorb impact, Rezon Halos® uses a proprietary multi-layer protective system designed specifically to reduce the rotational forces associated with brain injury. When choosing a football headguard for your child or yourself, the reduction of rotational forces are the primary concern for brain protection.

Head Protection vs Brain Protection

Understanding the protective difference between head protection and brain protection is critical.

Traditional headgear in sport was typically designed to reduce visible injury, such as cuts and abrasions. Brain protection instead requires addressing the forces that cause brain injury itself.

“I purchased Rezon Halos® following a serious concussion that required hospital treatment. I now wear it every time I play. Since then, I’ve had falls and been medically checked as a precaution, but have had no further damage.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Renee Fraser Shepherd | Rezon Halos® Customer

How Rezon Halos® Protects the Brain in Football

Rezon Halos® is designed specifically to reduce rotational force transmission to the brain in concussive and sub-concussive impacts.

Halos® uses a proprietary multi-layer protection system called Rotection®, which consists of nine independently moving layers engineered to dissipate kinetic energy during head impacts.

Independent testing using the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab methodology demonstrates that Halos®:

• reduces rotational force transmission by up to 61%
• reduces concussion risk by 74% ^[5]

Halos® is also the only non-helmeted sports head protection to achieve both:

• Virginia Tech 5-Star Safety Rating
• CE / UKCA Category II PPE certification

This reflects a design philosophy focused on brain protection rather than headworn surface padding.

Should Footballers Wear Brain Protection Throughout Play?

Head impacts in football occur throughout training and match play at all ages and levels.

Because brain injury risk accumulates over time, protection is most effective when worn consistently from an early age and during all football activity, not only when heading the ball.

The recent inquest into the death of former UK professional footballer Gordon McQueen highlighted growing recognition of the cumulative effects of repeated head impacts during a playing career.

Reducing exposure to rotational forces during both concussive and sub-concussive impacts is one of the most effective strategies for lowering cumulative brain injury risk in football.