Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41085893›Full record

ArticleSports medicine - open2025

Potential Concussion Events of a Leading Team in the Spanish Male Professional Soccer League: Incidence, Refereeing Actions, Medical Consequences and Return-to-Play.

Enrique Noé, Roberto Llorens, Blanca Melero, Myrtha O'Valle, María Dolores Navarro, Carolina Colomer, Belén Moliner, Joan Ferri

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Sports medicine - open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Enrique NoéIRENEA. Instituto de Rehabilitación Neurológica, Fundación Hospitales Vithas, València, Spain.
Roberto LlorensNeurorehabilitation and Brain Research Group, Institute for Human-Centered Technology Research, Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain. rllorens@htech.upv.es.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8677-8707
Blanca MeleroUniversidad Loyola Andalucía, Sevilla, Spain.
Myrtha O'ValleIRENEA. Instituto de Rehabilitación Neurológica, Fundación Hospitales Vithas, València, Spain.
María Dolores NavarroIRENEA. Instituto de Rehabilitación Neurológica, Fundación Hospitales Vithas, València, Spain.
Carolina ColomerIRENEA. Instituto de Rehabilitación Neurológica, Fundación Hospitales Vithas, València, Spain.
Belén MolinerIRENEA. Instituto de Rehabilitación Neurológica, Fundación Hospitales Vithas, València, Spain.
Joan FerriIRENEA. Instituto de Rehabilitación Neurológica, Fundación Hospitales Vithas, València, Spain.

Funding

Conselleria de Innovación, Universidades, Ciencia y Sociedad Digital, Generalitat Valenciana CIDEXG/2022/15Fundació la Marató de TV3 60/2023Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación PID2022-141498OA-I00
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAn increasing number of studies reveal that concussion rates in male soccer are comparable to other contact sports. Due to their possible negative effects on the neurological health, detecting potential concussion events (PCEs) during a match is essential to account for their medical consequences. The objective of this study was to investigate the incidence and characteristics of the PCEs, as well as the refereeing and medical consequences, and the return-to-play time, of a leading male soccer team of the first division of the Spanish Professional Soccer League throughout a complete season.

resultsA total of 61 PCEs from direct head impacts were identified across the 38 matches played by Real Madrid CF-the 2019-2020 regular season champions and the only team with complete match records, reflecting an incidence of 48.6/1000 h. Most of the PCEs occurred due to "elbow-head" mechanisms or during "aerial heading duels", affecting parietal-occipital and frontonasal areas, with increased incidence in defenses, in the penalty areas, during minutes 45 to 60, and with a tie score. No sanction was given in 54.8% of the PCEs. Medical assistance was requested in only 32.2% of the cases, and only 29.0% of cases resulted in a substitution. The players returned to play after a mean of 9.5 (SD: 11.0) days from the event and 74.2% of the players returned to play in or less than 7 days.

conclusionsThese results are consistent with previous studies in nearby countries and reveal a high incidence and high likelihood of repeated PCEs, with limited impact on refereeing decisions, minimal medical intervention, and short return-to-play periods. Given the potential neurological risks of concussions, greater awareness is needed among professionals, medical teams, the public, and authorities.

Indexed as

ConcussionFootballReturn-to-playSoccerTraumatic brain injury

Identifiers

PMID41085893
PMCPMC12521720

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.