Abstract
Objectives
To determine the maximal isometric neck strength of male and female rugby and football
(soccer) athletes, and to investigate the relationship between neck strength and sport
played, sex, age, anthropometric measurements and concussion history.
Design
Cross-sectional observational study.
Methods
In total, 358 (70% male) healthy football and rugby playing adolescents and adults
participated. Isometric neck strength and anthropometry measurements were collected,
as well as completion of a sociodemographic survey. The mean (standard deviation)
of all measurements for each age group was calculated and compared between sports
and sexes, with correlation analyses performed to determine associations between all
variables.
Results
In general, rugby athletes had stronger neck musculature compared to football athletes,
and males had stronger neck musculature compared to age-matched females, with these
strength differences becoming increasingly significant with age (p < 0.05). The athletes
with stronger neck muscles were older, taller, heavier, had higher bilateral grip
strength and larger neck girth compared to those with weaker neck muscles (p < 0.05).
Male rugby athletes who self-reported higher rates of a previous concussion had lower
neck flexor/extensor strength ratio (p < 0.01). In 11–12-year-old male footballers,
increased heading was associated with increased self-reported previous concussion
(p < 0.01).
Conclusions
These normative neck strength data can form important reference values for rugby and
football athletes from adolescence into adulthood. Male rugby athletes with a previous
history of concussion demonstrated strength imbalances of their neck musculature (lower
flexor/extensor ratio), with this finding having potentially important implications
for training protocols and injury prevention initiatives.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: April 06, 2022
Accepted:
April 1,
2022
Received in revised form:
March 30,
2022
Received:
November 13,
2021
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
