背景:初级预防医学对大学运动员有效的脑震荡预防策略缺乏共识。颈椎强度已被确定为降低脑震荡风险的潜在因素。这项研究评估了市售产品的影响,便携式颈椎肌肉拉伸和加强装置,NeckX®,关于宫颈强度,运动范围(ROM),参加高脑震荡风险运动的大学运动员的脑震荡发生率。
方法:对来自不同运动项目的162名大学运动员进行了单臂前瞻性队列研究。参与者使用NeckX®设备进行12周的颈部锻炼方案。临床数据,包括颈部力量和ROM,在第0、6和12周收集。脑震荡发生率由参与者自我报告,并与体育部的记录交叉引用。在整个12周的研究中,对数据进行了显着的颈部强度和ROM变化分析。利用Tukey-Kramer显着差异检验的方差多重比较的双向分析,使用Holm-Sidak方法,alpha为0.05.
结果:在12周的干预期间,所有运动队的颈椎强度均显着增加(α=0.05,p<0.05)。颈椎屈曲和伸展力的增加在团队之间最为一致。男女足球运动员的宫颈ROM显着增加(α=0.05,p<0.05)。头部和颈部损伤的总体发生率,包括脑震荡,在研究期间减少到6.60%,这是该大学体育系历史上记录的最低值。
结论:在参加高脑震荡风险运动的大学运动员中,使用NeckX®装置12周可有效增强宫颈周围肌力和ROM,同时降低脑震荡发生率。有趣的是,男性和女性的积极结果是一致的,表明颈部训练在大学运动员中的普遍优势。这些发现支持现有的关于颈椎强化练习对减少大学运动员脑震荡的益处的研究,并强调了使用该设备的便利性和可负担性。
BACKGROUND: Primary preventative medicine lacks a consensus on effective concussion prevention strategies for collegiate athletes. Cervical strength has been identified as a potential factor in concussion risk reduction. This study evaluates the impact of a commercially available, portable cervical muscle stretching and strengthening device, NeckX®, on cervical strength, range of motion (ROM), and concussion incidence in collegiate athletes participating in high-concussion-risk sports.
METHODS: A single-arm prospective cohort study was conducted with 162 collegiate athletes from various sports. Participants underwent a 12-week neck exercise protocol using the NeckX® device. Clinical data, including neck strength and ROM, were collected at weeks 0, 6, and 12. Concussion incidence was self-reported by participants and cross-referenced with records from the athletic department. Data were analyzed for significant neck strength and ROM changes throughout the 12-week study. A two-way analysis of variance multiple comparisons with the Tukey-Kramer significant difference test was utilized, using the Holm-Sidak method, with an alpha of 0.05.
RESULTS: All athletic teams experienced a significant increase in cervical strength during the 12-week intervention (α = 0.05, p < 0.05). Increases in cervical flexion and extension force were most consistent between teams. Cervical ROM increased significantly in male and female soccer players (α = 0.05, p < 0.05). The overall incidence of head and neck injuries, including concussions, was reduced to 6.60% during the study period, the lowest recorded value in the university\'s athletic department history.
CONCLUSIONS: The use of the NeckX® device for 12 weeks was effective in enhancing pericervical muscle strength and ROM while reducing concussion incidence in collegiate athletes participating in high-concussion-risk sports. Interestingly, the positive outcomes were consistent for both males and females, indicating the universal advantages of neck training among collegiate athletes. These findings support existing research on the benefits of cervical strengthening exercises for reducing concussions in collegiate athletes and highlight the convenience and affordability of using this device.