Are you more likely to suffer a concussion on grass or artificial turf?

Are concussions more likely to occur on grass fields or artificial turf? A recent study of Texas middle and high school football players sought to answer that very question.

The study found that football athletes were more likely to suffer a concussion on natural grass than on artificial turf.

Artificial turf has come a long way over the years from a thin layer of fake grass over concrete.

A recent story from KERA News discussed the study with lead author Dr. Munro Cullum, a clinical neuropsychologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Below is an excerpt from the KERA News interview.

Does this study suggest that artificial turf is safer?

I think that might be a little preliminary to make that conclusion. But the results did find that the symptoms were lower and less severe on the turf compared to grass. Now, just like with artificial turf, grass obviously varies tremendously from field to field, so that may play a role as well.

Why is natural grass a problem?

It’s quite variable in terms of how well it’s kept. How many bare spots are there? What is the nature of the soil beneath? Is it more clay? Is it more soft? Has it been watered recently? Is it hard? So, just like with artificial turf, there are a lot of variables that go into differences in grass fields as well. But again, that’s something, that probably merits some further study.

So, what then, should schools take away from this study?

It suggests the nature of the football field should be looked at. And they should probably be evaluated for how new the surfaces are, and how hard the surfaces are. And review that periodically if a school has turf that’s very, very old. Maybe it’s time to look at a renewed surface that might be somewhat more pliable and softer.

And for concussion assessments, I think it suggests that we need to pay attention to what they hit their heads on and look for the possibility of greater symptoms when they are playing on a grass surface. Although, as noted, the results are preliminary with a pretty small sample.

You’ve been studying concussions for years. Are schools more mindful today about this than before?

Schools are definitely, and school personnel are definitely, more mindful about concussions. The information has definitely gotten out over the last ten, 15 years, about taking concussions seriously.

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To read the full story from KERA News, click here.