[injuredbutrecoverin]

I have read that stronger neck muscles can help prevent concussions. Does anyone have any guides on how to strengthen the appropriate neck muscles?

thanks

[Mark in Idaho]

There was a thread about a year or so ago that had a link to a neck exercise program to strengthen the neck. It was suggested to help those with subtle neck injuries that need to help their necks recover.

The concept that stronger necks can help prevent concussions is disputed. It is based on an observation that football players with stronger neck conditions suffer less concussions. This may be a misunderstanding of the issue. Univ of Pittsburgh has found that 80% of concussions have neck injuries and many of their symptoms are related to their neck injuries. This concept of stronger necks preventing concussions may simply be that the neck related symptoms of concussions are less thus it appears that stronger necks prevent or reduce concussions.

If one looks at the physics involved. A hit to the head is a hit to the head, regardless of the strength of the neck. The energy of the impact is absorbed either way. The only way to change how the same impact forces can cause less harm is to spread the forces over a longer period of time. This is usually done with helmet padding that distorts so an impact that may last 0.01 seconds lasts 0.03 seconds. This allows acceleration or deceleration forces to be reduced by a similar ratio.

Keep in mind that this concept is based on football or sports related concussions. Banging one's head into a concrete wall is not going to be less injurious with a stronger neck.

[Eowyn]

I went through a neck strengthening program after my concussion, and it did help to reduce my headaches somewhat. Mine was a guided program, in a gym with physical therapists. You might see if there is a physical therapy center near you that focuses on spine strengthening.

[injuredbutrecoverin]

Could you describe the types of things you did? I got some physical therapy for my neck but the exercises were largely stretching and I didn't feel like there was any strengthening.

thanks

[Hockey]

When the swelling in my neck finally subsided, my muscles had atrophied so badly that my chin was on my chest.

To rebuild the muscles, my PT had me do isometrics. It doesn't seem like much, little pushed under the chin, on the forehead, etc... but it does work.

I doubt any of that would help spare me from future concussions, but it did help with lessen the headaches and ease some neuro symptoms.

[Eowyn]

Originally Posted by injuredbutrecoverin

Could you describe the types of things you did? I got some physical therapy for my neck but the exercises were largely stretching and I didn't feel like there was any strengthening.

thanks

This was a specialized spine strengthening clinic. They had Med-X weight machines which they hooked me up to. One exercise was nodding through the full range of motion (with weight) and the other was turning my head from side to side (with weight). They did special calculations to know what weight to start at and how much to increase it each time, and they iced the area thoroughly after each round of exercise.

Hope this helps!

[russiarulez]

I agree with Mark, a hit to the head is a hit to the head.
I had fairly strong neck muscles from doing jiu-jitsu for several years before my injury.
Had a lot of neck pain and headaches for about a year after the injury.

What helped me was going to an AO chiro first, and then doing neck PT several months later.
The PT exercises were fairly simple and light, but did help. Now I almost never have neck pain/neck related headaches, even if I sleep at an odd neck angle.

I would recommend finding a good Physical Therapist who will identify specific exercises for your specific neck problem.

[injuredbutrecoverin]

how did you go about finding a good PT? it seems almost impossible to tell other than yelp reviews (which can be fake) or word of mouth. trying several is very costly.

thanks

[russiarulez]

Originally Posted by injuredbutrecoverin

how did you go about finding a good PT? it seems almost impossible to tell other than yelp reviews (which can be fake) or word of mouth. trying several is very costly.

thanks

Yeah I know the struggle to find a good doc/therapist. I wasted a lot of money so far going to practitioners who do not get what we're going through.

I got a referral to a good PT from a doctor, I actually went to the same PT clinic several months before that, but had another therapist and didn't like him, he didn't really seem to understand the issues I had.

The other therapist that I got a referral to, was much better, she specializes in vestibular rehabilitation, even though her eye-tracking exercises didn't do anything for me, the neck exercises she gave me did help.

Maybe try calling around PT clinics and ask if they had any experience with head trauma/vestibular patients.

Another source of info might be a brain injury support website? We have one in our state and it lists some doctors on there that I assume are familiar with head trauma patients.