# The Acute Effects of Ball Pressure on Anticipation Timing Following a Series of Purposeful Headers in Adult Football (Soccer) Players

## TL;DR

This study examines how ball pressure affects anticipation timing in soccer players after repeated headers, finding no significant changes.

## Contribution

The study introduces a novel investigation into the acute effects of ball pressure during headers on cognitive timing in soccer.

## Key findings

- No significant differences in anticipation timing accuracy were found across ball pressure interventions.
- The anticipation timing task may not be sensitive enough to detect brain function changes from repeated heading.
- Results contradict previous literature on measurable effects of heading on brain function.

## Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the acute effects of ball pressure on anticipation timing following a series of purposeful headers in adult football (soccer) players. There is evidence to suggest acute neurophysiological changes to the brain following purposeful heading; this may lead to altered anticipation timing as a result, potentially having future safety implications for players. A repeated measures crossover design was used. Seventeen participants aged between 20 and 30 years performed (i) 20 rotational headers with a lower-pressure match ball (58.6 kPa; 8.5 psi), (ii) 20 rotational headers with a higher-pressure match ball (103.4 kPa; 15 psi), or (iii) 20 non-headers (kicks) as a control each on separate days. The effect of ball pressure on anticipation timing accuracy, measured as absolute, constant, and variable errors, was assessed before and immediately after each intervention session using an anticipation timing task. Differences between group means were compared using repeated measures ANOVA and linear mixed effects models, with p-values of <0.05 considered statistically significant. No significant differences in anticipation timing accuracy across interventions were detected between control, occluded, and non-occluded trials. This finding differs from the previous literature regarding the measurable, acute effects of purposeful heading. The anticipation timing task may lack sensitivity for detecting the effects of repeated heading on brain function.