Head and Neck Circumference Not Risk Factors For Game Concussions Among Youth American Football Players

Abstract

Neck to head circumference ratio (NHR) has been reported as a potential risk factor for concussion (CONC) among high school athletes. Research examining anthropometrics and neck (NC) and head (HC) circumferences and NHR in youth football is limited. PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between player anthropometrics and CONC injury rates (IR) among youth football players. METHODS: 1212 male youth football players (11.9±1.2 years) with 2.6±1.9 years experience participating in a large metropolitan youth football league were followed prospectively throughout 3 seasons (2012-2014). Height (HT, cm); weight (WT, kg); and NC and HC, cm; data were collected pre-season. CONC injury information, including mechanism of injury (MOI, for games was tracked each season by the leagues certified athletic trainer (AT) using an electronic medical record-keeping system. At each event, ATs collected injury and athlete-exposure (AE) data. CONC injury frequencies and rates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated based on 1000 AE. Descriptive statistics characterized anthropometrics and CONC. Binary logistic regression with forward step-wise elimination examined relationships between anthropometric characteristics (HT, WT, BMI, HC, NC, NHR) and the incidence of CONC (p≤0.05). RESULTS: Participants (n=1068) mean anthropometrics’: 157.4cm, 49.8kg, and 21.8.kg/m2. The mean NC, HC and HNR ratio (n=951): 32.2cm, 52.07cm, and 0.53, respectively. 71 of 1212 participants (5.9%) were diagnosed with a CONC. CONC IR for games for all 3 seasons was 5.65 /1000 AE (95%CI: 4.34 -6.97). Majority CONC occurred during the 2nd half of play (n=52, 73.3%) as a result of helmet-to-helmet (31, 43.7%), and head-to-ground (n=15, 21.1%) collisions. Binary logistic regression identified no significant predictors of concussion 2(1, N=854)=94%, p = .92. CONCLUSIONS: Incidence of CONC was similar to those previously reported in same age group of youth football players. While anthropometrics, NC, HC and NHR and BMI did not predict CONC, future research should examine these factors as well as neck strength as potential predictors of CONC. Research should also examine if the high incidence of CONC during the 2nd half of game play is related with other modifiable risk factors. Supported by Potomac Health Foundation.