Discipline of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Australia.
J Sci Med Sport. 2022 Aug;25(8):632-638. doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2022.04.001. Epub 2022 Apr 6.
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.
Cross-sectional observational study.
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.
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).
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.
确定男性和女性橄榄球和足球（英式足球）运动员的最大等长颈部力量，并研究颈部力量与所从事的运动、性别、年龄、人体测量学测量值和脑震荡史之间的关系。
横断面观察性研究。
共有 358 名（70%为男性）健康的橄榄球和足球运动员青少年和成年人参与了本研究。收集了等长颈部力量和人体测量学测量值，并完成了一项社会人口学调查。计算了每个年龄组的所有测量值的平均值（标准差），并比较了不同运动和性别的差异，同时进行了相关性分析，以确定所有变量之间的关联。
一般来说，橄榄球运动员的颈部肌肉力量比足球运动员更强，男性的颈部肌肉力量比同龄女性更强，而且这些力量差异随着年龄的增长而变得越来越显著（p<0.05）。肌肉力量较强的运动员年龄更大、更高、更重，双侧握力更高，颈部周长更大，与肌肉力量较弱的运动员相比（p<0.05）。自我报告脑震荡发生率较高的男性橄榄球运动员，其颈部屈肌/伸肌力量比更低（p<0.01）。在 11-12 岁的男性足球运动员中，增加头球与自我报告的以前的脑震荡增加相关（p<0.01）。
这些正常的颈部力量数据可以为青少年到成年的橄榄球和足球运动员提供重要的参考值。有以前脑震荡病史的男性橄榄球运动员表现出颈部肌肉力量的不平衡（较低的屈肌/伸肌比），这一发现对训练方案和损伤预防计划具有重要意义。
