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Musculoskeletal and Sports Medicine

Concussion Reduction in Collegiate Athletes: Effects of Cervical Spine Exercise Regimen

Friday, October 24, 2025
8:00 AM - 9:15 AM MT
Location: Kiosk 8
Has Audio

    Poster Presenter(s)

  • Joel Klein, DO

    Resident Physician
    Rochester Regional Health/Unity Hospital PM&R Program
    Rochester, New York

    • Co-Author(s)

  • BD

    Blake Delgadillo, Other

    Medical Student
    Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine Bradenton Campus
    Jacksonville, Florida

  • JB

    Jacob R. Blank, DO

    Resident physician
    University Hospitals Community Consortium (UHCC) PMR Program
    Broadview Heights, Ohio

Disclosure(s):
Joel Klein, DO: No financial relationships to disclose
Background and/or Objectives: This study investigates the use of the NeckX® device to determine its impact on cervical strength, range of motion (ROM), and the occurrence of concussions in collegiate athletes participating in sports with elevated concussion risk.

Design: A cohort study with a single-arm design was carried out involving 162 collegiate athletes from various sports. Participants engaged in a 12-week neck exercise program utilizing the NeckX® device. Neck strength and range of motion (ROM) were measured at baseline and at weeks 6 and 12.

Setting : Athletic facilities of Mercyhurst University.

Participants : The study recruited 175 NCAA Division I and II collegiate athletes (ages 18–25) from high-concussion-risk sports at Mercyhurst University. Of the initial cohort, 162 athletes (89 male, 73 female) completed the study. Two withdrew for personal reasons, and 10 were excluded for failing to complete at least 50% of the protocol.

Interventions: Pericervical strength was assessed using the Activ5® dynamometer in six planes of motion. Participants performed a single 5-second maximal effort against a researcher-provided counterforce while seated upright to ensure consistency. Cervical ROM was measured using the Halo digital goniometer.

Participants completed assessments at weeks 0, 6, and 12 and followed a 12-week NeckX® workout protocol. The program involved three 10-minute sessions per week.

Main Outcome Measures: See above design/interventions.

Results: All teams showed significant gains in cervical strength over the 12-week intervention (α=0.05, p< 0.05), with the most consistent improvements observed in cervical flexion and extension forces. Cervical ROM significantly increased among male and female soccer players (α=0.05, p< 0.05). The overall incidence of head and neck injuries, including concussions, dropped to 6.60%, the lowest rate recorded by the university's athletic department.

Conclusions: The use of the NeckX® device for 12 weeks was effective in enhancing pericervical muscle strength and ROM while reducing concussion incidence in male and female collegiate athletes participating in high-concussion- risk sports.