Table 2 The effect of changes to game format on heading frequency
From: Where are We Headed? Evidence to Inform Future Football Heading Guidelines
Study | Participants | Methods – format of small sided games | Results – heading frequency (mean ± standard deviation) | Study conclusion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Martone et al. (2017) [73] | n = 17 males (U12), mean age: 10.0 ± 0.5 years n = 16 males (U14), mean age: 13.2 ± 0.3 years | 6 × (3 × 4 min various SSG formats) | U12 range: 0.3 ± 0.0–1.0 ± 0.0 per player per 12 min (depending on pitch size and area per player) U14 range: 0.3 ± 0.6–0.7 ± 1.2 per player per 12 min (depending on pitch size and area per player) | Headers per player increased from 0.3 to 1.0 with increasing pitch area from 40 m2 to 90 m2 in U12, but remained between 0.3 and 0.7 headers/player across all area sizes in U14s |
Rago et al. (2016) [74] | n = 8 males, mean age: 23.6 ± 2.3 years, semi-professional players | 3 × 6 min, 5 versus 5 SSG | 0.1 ± 0.3 headers per player per 18 min | Headers remained very low in this SSG format |
Owen et al. (2014) [75] | n = 16 males, mean age: 27.6 ± 4.1 years, professional players | 16 × (3 × 5 min, various SSG, MSG and LSG formats) | SSG (4 versus 4): 3 ± 2 per 15 min MSG (5 versus 5 to 8 versus 8): 4 ± 1 per 15 min LSG (9 versus 9 to 11 versus 11): 9 ± 2 per 15 min | In formats with low number of players, more passes, dribbling and shots, but fewer headers were observed |
Owen et al. (2011) [76] | n = 15 males, mean age: 26.3 ± 4.9 years, professional players | SSG 3 versus 3 plus goalkeepers, LSG 9 versus 9 plus goalkeepers lasting for 3 × 5 min with 4-min passive recovery | SSG 6 ± 1 per player LSG 15 ± 1 per player | More headers were performed in LSG when compared with SSG (effect size 15.8, p ≤ 0.05) |
Da Silva et al. (2011) [77] | n = 16 males, mean age: 13.5 ± 0.7 years, professional players | One season, exact exposure unknown | 3 versus 3 SSG: 1 ± 1 per player per 12 min 4 versus 4 SSG: 1 ± 1 per player per 12 min 5 versus 5 SSG: 1 ± 1 per player per 12 min | The number of players had no effect on the number of headers per player, which remained low for all SSG formats |
Casamichana et al. (2010) [78] | n = 10 players, mean age: 15.5 ± 0.5 years | 5 versus 5 plus goalkeeper (32 × 23 m, 50 × 35 m, 62 × 44 m) | 1.7 ± 1.0 per player, 32 × 23 m 2.3 ± 2.2 per player, 50 × 35 m 4.0 ± 2.1 per player, 62 × 44 m | The mean number of headers performed per player per game increased with increasing pitch size |
Katis and Kellis (2009) [79] | n = 34 players, mean age: 13 ± 0.9 years, amateur players | 3 versus 3, 6 versus 6 (10 × 4 min duration with 3 min active recovery) | 3 versus 3: < 2 per player 6 versus 6: < 5 per player | Fewer headers were performed in 3 versus 3 games than 6 versus 6 games (p ≤ 0.05, likely related to the increased number of long passes in 6 versus 6 games |