[Head and neck injuries among Norwegian soccer players. A neurological, electroencephalographic, radiologic and neuropsychological evaluation].

69 active football (soccer) players and 37 former members of the Norwegian national team were included in a neurological and electroencephalographic (EEG) study to investigate the incidence of head injuries, mainly caused by heading the ball. 3% of the active players and 30% of the former players complained of permanent problems such as headache, dizziness, irritability, impaired memory and pain in the neck. 35% of the active players and 32% of former players had from slightly abnormal to abnormal EEG, as against 13 and 11% of respective matched controls. There were fewer definitely abnormal EEG changes among typical headers (10%) than among "non-headers" (27%). The former players were also subjected to cerebral computed tomography (CT), a neuropsychological examination and a radiological examination of the cervical spine. One third of the players were found to have central cerebral atrophy and 81% to have from mild to severe (mostly mild to moderate) neuropsychological impairment. The radiological examination of the cervical spine revealed a significantly higher incidence and degree of degenerative changes than in a matched control group.