MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Heading is an integral part of soccer, but its links to lasting brain injuries are proving hard to ignore.
However, one software company feels it has a solution to the damaging impact it can have - virtual reality.
Concussion substitutes were trialled last year, children aged 11 and under are no longer taught to head footballs and limitations on heading in training have been enforced across the English professional game. "It wasn't intentional for this to come out at this time. We've been working on this for a long time and it makes sense for us to deliver this kind of platform now."Reuters was given a tour of this brave new world. By putting on a headset, you are transported into what appears to be a state-of-the-art training facility, created with astonishing attention to detail.
"In terms of timing and trajectory, it has everything other than the contact element with heading. In terms of the feel you get for the football, how your eyes look at the part of the goal you want it to go into as you make that contact, that's accurate.
Research published by Glasgow university this month revealed that former footballers are 3.5 times more likely to die with dementia than the general public.
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