Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Collisions without sight: head acceleration in blind football and implications for sport-related concussion

Ivanic, Branimir LU ; Ageberg, Eva LU orcid ; Ryan, Nicholas LU orcid ; Derman, Wayne ; Runciman, Phoebe ; Lexell, Jan LU and Fagher, Kristina LU (2026) Scandinavian Sports Medicine Congress 2026 In BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine 12(Suppl 1).
Abstract
Introduction
Sport-related concussion (SRC) is a pressing issue in Para sport, yet biomechanical mechanisms remain poorly understood. Athletes with visual impairment face elevated risks due to sport-specific demands, such as frequent collisions in blind football. This pilot study examined head acceleration responses in blind football players compared with non-disabled football players, and between anticipated and unanticipated conditions in blind football.

Materials and Methods
Ten football players (five blind football, five non-disabled; 80% female) were tested using a validated laboratory apparatus applying controlled perturbations in flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation. Peak linear head acceleration (LHA)... (More)
Introduction
Sport-related concussion (SRC) is a pressing issue in Para sport, yet biomechanical mechanisms remain poorly understood. Athletes with visual impairment face elevated risks due to sport-specific demands, such as frequent collisions in blind football. This pilot study examined head acceleration responses in blind football players compared with non-disabled football players, and between anticipated and unanticipated conditions in blind football.

Materials and Methods
Ten football players (five blind football, five non-disabled; 80% female) were tested using a validated laboratory apparatus applying controlled perturbations in flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation. Peak linear head acceleration (LHA) and rotational head acceleration (RHA) were captured with 3D motion analysis. Between-group differences were evaluated using Welch’s t-tests; within-group differences with paired t-tests.

Results
Blind football players exhibited greater RHA during rotation trials compared with non-disabled players (anticipated: 44.8 vs. 38.1 rad/s2, p=0.123; unanticipated: 48.0 vs. 40.9 rad/s2, p=0.060). Within the blind football group, unanticipated perturbations produced higher LHA than anticipated across three of four directions, with significant differences in flexion (0.24 vs. 0.21 g; p=0.002) and lateral flexion (0.25 vs. 0.21 g; p=0.001). RHA followed the same pattern, with unanticipated trials yielding higher values than anticipated in all directions, most notably during rotation (48.0 vs. 44.8 rad/s2).

Conclusion
Blind football players exhibited higher rotational accelerations than non-disabled players, and greater head accelerations during unanticipated compared with anticipated conditions. These findings suggest that both visual impairment and anticipatory control influence head kinematics, underscoring the need for larger studies to guide SRC prevention in Para sport. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine
volume
12
issue
Suppl 1
publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
conference name
Scandinavian Sports Medicine Congress 2026
conference location
Copenhagen, Denmark
conference dates
2026-01-29 - 2026-01-31
ISSN
2055-7647
DOI
10.1136/bmjsem-2026-sportskongres.8
project
Exercise interventions to prevent sport-related concussion
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e1130989-158d-4d95-99f3-5b662786b2f8
date added to LUP
2026-02-27 14:37:52
date last changed
2026-03-02 10:13:07
@misc{e1130989-158d-4d95-99f3-5b662786b2f8,
  abstract     = {{Introduction<br/>Sport-related concussion (SRC) is a pressing issue in Para sport, yet biomechanical mechanisms remain poorly understood. Athletes with visual impairment face elevated risks due to sport-specific demands, such as frequent collisions in blind football. This pilot study examined head acceleration responses in blind football players compared with non-disabled football players, and between anticipated and unanticipated conditions in blind football.<br/><br/>Materials and Methods<br/>Ten football players (five blind football, five non-disabled; 80% female) were tested using a validated laboratory apparatus applying controlled perturbations in flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation. Peak linear head acceleration (LHA) and rotational head acceleration (RHA) were captured with 3D motion analysis. Between-group differences were evaluated using Welch’s t-tests; within-group differences with paired t-tests.<br/><br/>Results<br/>Blind football players exhibited greater RHA during rotation trials compared with non-disabled players (anticipated: 44.8 vs. 38.1 rad/s2, p=0.123; unanticipated: 48.0 vs. 40.9 rad/s2, p=0.060). Within the blind football group, unanticipated perturbations produced higher LHA than anticipated across three of four directions, with significant differences in flexion (0.24 vs. 0.21 g; p=0.002) and lateral flexion (0.25 vs. 0.21 g; p=0.001). RHA followed the same pattern, with unanticipated trials yielding higher values than anticipated in all directions, most notably during rotation (48.0 vs. 44.8 rad/s2).<br/><br/>Conclusion<br/>Blind football players exhibited higher rotational accelerations than non-disabled players, and greater head accelerations during unanticipated compared with anticipated conditions. These findings suggest that both visual impairment and anticipatory control influence head kinematics, underscoring the need for larger studies to guide SRC prevention in Para sport.}},
  author       = {{Ivanic, Branimir and Ageberg, Eva and Ryan, Nicholas and Derman, Wayne and Runciman, Phoebe and Lexell, Jan and Fagher, Kristina}},
  issn         = {{2055-7647}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Conference Abstract}},
  number       = {{Suppl 1}},
  publisher    = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine}},
  title        = {{Collisions without sight: head acceleration in blind football and implications for sport-related concussion}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2026-sportskongres.8}},
  doi          = {{10.1136/bmjsem-2026-sportskongres.8}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}