Latest FIFPRO health study shows three concussions may impact attention in women footballers

• Sixty-eight professional women footballers took part in a study which assessed neurocognitive function
• Players who reported three concussions performed significantly worse in tasks requiring attention compared with those who had one or no concussions
• The cognitive tests were conducted as part of the Drake Football Study, a 10-year project tracking the physical and mental health of 170 men’s and women’s footballers

A FIFPRO-led study looking at how concussions affect the brain function of women professional footballers suggests that those who reported three or more concussions may see an impact on their attention span, although further research is required before introducing new health guidelines for players.

Sixty-eight professional women footballers took part in the cross-sectional study, which assessed neurocognitive function and explored whether previous concussions were associated with changes in specific thinking skills. Players completed online cognitive tests measuring memory, attention, reaction time and other mental abilities.

Players who reported three concussions performed significantly worse in tasks requiring attention compared with those who had two or fewer concussions; in a football setting, those tasks meant tracking the ball and opponents, maintaining positional awareness and reacting quickly during match play.

Forty-three percent of women players in the study had experienced at least one concussion. Defenders reported the highest concussion exposure: 50 percent had sustained one or more concussions.

"Generally, the study suggests that women footballers do not show widespread cognitive problems during their career, but repeated concussions might have a meaningful impact on attention and this should be analysed with further research," said Prof Dr Vincent Gouttebarge, FIFPRO’s Medical Director.

Players scored within the normal range compared with the general population in 11 of 12 cognitive domains. Motor speed (how fast the brain can send a signal and the body can carry it out) was above average, reflecting the high physical and neuromuscular demands of elite football.

No widespread cognitive impairment was identified during players’ active careers.

"Women’s football has historically been under-represented in sports concussion research, meaning this study contributes valuable, female-specific evidence," said Prof Dr Gouttebarge. "The reassuring news is that women professional footballers do not show widespread cognitive problems during their playing careers – in fact, high levels of physical activity may help support overall brain health.

"We conducted the same analyses in professional men footballers and found similar findings, namely that most neurocognitive functions do not show significant deficits/impairments but that concussion led to a decrease in simple and complex attention. While these analyses do not provide enough evidence to draw up new health guidelines around concussion, they reinforce the need in both women’s and men’s football for careful management – including a return-to-play protocol – when a player suffers from a concussion, and even more in case of repeated concussions."

Drake Football Study

Launched in 2019 and coordinated by FIFPRO, the Drake Football Study is a 10-year project monitoring the physical and mental health of 170 men’s and women’s footballers – beginning during their playing careers and transitioning through to after their playing careers.

Over the last three years, the study has published data on osteoarthritis and gynaecological health of women's players, knee and hip osteoarthritis in men’s players, and footballers’ mental health.

The Drake Football Study is seed-funded by The Drake Foundation and supported by Amsterdam University Medical Centres, Mehilainen (Finland) and Push Sports (The Netherlands).

Prof Dr Gouttebarge is the project lead together with Prof Dr Gino Kerkhoffs, chair of the Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine department at the Amsterdam University Medical Centres.