Neck muscle fatigue produces abnormal sensory input to the central nervous system and affects our postural control, we use our vision to overcome these effects. Dynamic visual acuity is the clearness of the visual perception of an image, when our ocular system is impaired visual acuity degrades during head movements.

Training on the Pendulum 5 Way Head and Neck Machine

In the January Journal of Physical Therapy Science, researchers found that neck muscle fatigue negatively impacts dynamic visual acuity.  The cervical spine is the hotbed of proprioception and when measured by joint position error, acuity is seen to diminish after fatigue.

Experiments in studying neck muscle fatigue, not only produce significantly altered effects of balance, but perceived altered affects, as well. In the May 2014 Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, scientists discovered fatigue is more than a general convention and that particular neck muscle groups have varying effects on stability.

Since neck muscle fatigue has been shown to alter an individual’s balance in a similar way to subjects who suffer from neck pain or people that have suffered a neck injury, it is essential that an athlete trains the entire system, which includes the muscles of the head neck and jaw. Coaches must make it clear to the athlete that neck muscle strength affects performance and athletic trainers must be cognizant that returning muscle strength to normal values post injury is not only an important part of the rehabilitative process, but is imperative.

To perform optimally during athletics Get the entire system Strong.