When an athlete sustains a concussion a muscle strain is also often involved. Schools and sports teams have protocols that must be followed. Once cleared for activity by passing a neurological evaluation such as a computerized baseline concussion test or released by the trainer or team physician a degree of prescribed activity may resume.
In a current article in Sports Health, a monthly peer reviewed journal, researchers published: Exercise for Sport-Related Concussion and Persistent Postconcussive Symptoms. After a clinical review it was found that, “A majority of studies show that spontaneous physical activity is safe after SRC (sport related concussion) and that subsymptom threshold aerobic exercise safely speeds up recovery after SRC and reduces symptoms in those with PPCS (persistent postconcussive symptoms).”
Yet, though athletes return to activity few studies attend to the muscular tissue that has been stressed at the time of head injury. It is important, as we already do in other areas of the body to have a normal functional baseline for head and neck strength as part of the protocol.
Muscular rehabilitation after a concussion should always be a logical part of the physical activity rehabilitative process. Having values for head and neck strength using the Pendulum 5-Way Neck or 4-Way Neck will assure that the muscular system has returned to normal for the athlete’s safe Return-To-Play.
Know Baseline Values on the Pendulum Neck Machine
