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Cervical stiffness, less angular displacement may reduce head impact after perturbation
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Athletes with greater cervical stiffness and less angular displacement after perturbation had lower odds of sustaining higher-magnitude head impacts; however, severity was not reduced in players with larger or stronger neck muscles, according to study findings.
Julianne D. Schmidt, PhD, ATC, and colleagues conducted a cohort study with 49 high school and collegiate football players that examined in-season head impacts between athletes with higher and lower preseason performance on cervical muscle characteristics.
All of the players completed a preseason cervical testing protocol, during which cervical isometric strength, muscle size and response to cervical perturbation were measured.
When compared with weaker linemen, linemen with stronger lateral flexors and composite cervical strength had an approximately 1.75 times higher risk of sustaining moderate linear head impacts rather than mild impacts, according to the researchers.
Among players who developed extensor torque more quickly, the researchers found the odds of sustaining severe linear impact were twice as high.
Alternatively, players who had greater cervical stiffness had lower odds for sustaining moderate or severe head impacts compared with players who had less stiffness, according to the researchers.
Disclosure: Siegmund holds shares in and is employed by MEA Forensic Engineers & Scientists, a consulting company that may benefit from being associated with this study.
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