Clashing Concussion Rates in High School Athletes

Gender Difference in Concussion One Reason For Gender Inconsistency

Neck Strength (Newtons)

Percent of Injuries That Were Concussions From 2005-16 Neck Strength in Male and Female High School
In High School Soccer Players 120 Athletes
Neck Strength affects the
100
probability of becoming concussed.
Injuries That Were
Concussions (percent) 35
80
30 The stronger the neck is the lesser
25 60
Female the head acceleration when hit,
20 Male 40
15 therefore the concussion risk also
20
10 goes down.
5 0
Extension Flexion Left Lateral Right Lateral
20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20
Flexion Flexion
05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

15
Position of Neck
-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2
00

00

01

01

01

01

01
07

09

12

14
Female Male
6

6
Percent of Injuries That Were Concussions From 2005-16
In High School Basketball Players Could Females Concussion Rates be Higher?
Injuries That Were
Concussions (percent)

30
25
The majority of research done on concussion rates is focused on
20
Female
15 Male
Football. Football is primarily a male sport and there is a lack of
10 data, research, and focus on female concussions. Even studies
5
done on sports with both male and female teams such as soccer,
0
basketball, and lacrosse are based on male participants. Females
20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20
05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

15
are consistently getting more concussions and yet there is still
-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2
00

00

00

00

01

01

01

01

01
11

12

less research being done to figure out why and how to fix it.
6

Percent of Injuries That Were Concussions From 2005-16

In High School Softball and Baseball Players
How Can You Help Prevent A Concussion?
Injuries That Were
Concussions (percent)

25

20 According to Dr. Robert Arnone you can strengthen your neck with a head harness that can carry weights and strengthen
15 Female your neck at different angles to help the posterior, lateral, and anterior neck muscles. While Dr. Arnone believes neck
Male
10 strength plays a role in getting a concussion he does not think it is the main factor that causes concussions. We have
5
seen over the years that it is neck mis-alignment of the cervical vertebrae in relation to the other bones of the neck
0
and to the base of the skull that is the largest determining factor. It is actually the Cranio-Cervical Junction alignment
20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

20

or mis-alignment which takes precedence over any other factor. Neck alignment can not only cause the injury but
05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

15
-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

-2

it can make it worse.

00

00

00

00

01

01

01

01

01

01

01
6

Citation: Research from 2005-2016: CU Boulder http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/PublicHealth/research/ResearchProjects/piper/projects/RIO/Pages/Study-Reports.aspx

Neck Strength: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/64b1/730619d1f4a0dc5966abb5f93a948b9f7434.pdf https://completeconcussions.com/can-neck-strength-reduce-the-risk-of-concussions-in-sport/
Could Rates be Higher: https://www.questiaschool.com/read/117804648/sports-medicine-and-neuropsychology-the-neuropsychologist-s Sports Medicine and Neuropsychology: The Neuropsychologists Role in the Assessment and Management of Sports-Related Concussions By B. P. Uzzell
How Can You Help Prevent A Concussion?: Dr. Robert Arnone, Upper Cervical Specific Doctor, Head-Neck Injury Specialty, Concussions, Whiplash & Birth Trauma, emails
Darby Moore