Neck Protech

Powered by Scrum Strong

Samuel Needs | Professional Rugby Player, Exercise and Sports

Scientist and author of Scrum Strong : Forward Thinking

With contributions from

Dr David Steven | Sports Chiropractor, Bay Chiropractic
Samuel Ward | Physiotherapist, PhysioWard
Scott Hoare | Strength & Conditioning Coach, Athletes Authority

For video content of this program head to

www.scrumstrong.com/neckprotechtutorials

All proceeds will be donated to a spinal injury, rugby

specific charity
Disclaimer
This guide is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any current neck
conditions. The exercises performed in this guide are suitable for players
of all ages and require no equipment. If you have a history of a spinal
condition, including any neck injury, you should consult with your medical
professional prior to undertaking the exercises. This guide will not
eliminate all neck injuries.

Copyright © 2019 Samuel Needs

All rights reserved

Updated 2020

Icons by Flat Icon

Dedication

To all players and their families who have suffered life altering neck injuries
whilst playing the game they love. It is also dedicated to the parents and
coaches of all rugby players, so that this may give you peace of mind,
knowing that neck safety is finally being addressed in a practical manner,
and not just spoken about.
 Neck Protech

Contents
Foreword.......................................................................................................................................... 6

Introduction................................................................................................................................... 8

Safety and Technique.............................................................................................................. 12

Neck Strength and Scrummaging Performance ................................................ 14

Neck Training Program.......................................................................................................... 15

Dynamic Strengthening.............................................................................................. 16

Isometric Strengthening............................................................................................. 21

Reactive Isometric Training....................................................................................... 26

8 week plan.......................................................................................................................... 34

References....................................................................................................................................... 37

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Neck Protech

Foreword

Dr David Steven, Sports Chiropractor

Sam Needs is a professional rugby union f ront rower who has proven his
expertise, dominance and skill many a time against bigger and more
experienced players. However, much more than this, he is one of the few
experts in the “dark art” of the front row and the scrum. He has analysed,
diagnosed and produced a systematic program to improve a player’s skill,
strength and technique and most importantly of all for me, as a Sports
Chiropractor, safety on the rugby f ield.

I have witnessed first hand Sam’s conviction to the development and

understanding of the skill and strategy involved in the rugby union scrum
and the various nuances of all the positions. Sam has a particularly special
ability to determine what works and I have often seen him direct a small
change within his own scrum that has instantly produced a devastating
effect on the scrum of the opposition.

Scrum Strong’s Neck Protech guide and videos are for all levels of rugby
players. Whether you’re young or old, amateur or professional or parents
looking to be proactive with neck strengthening and safety with their
children, be assured there is something for you all in the content and
training exercises.

Unfortunately as rugby union is a contact sport, injuries sometimes occur.

However in my 25 years experience working with rugby union players, there
is no doubt that players doing the correct neck strengthening exercises in
Neck Protech and Scrum Science: Forward Thinking, will help to minimise

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 Neck Protech

Foreword
Continued.

Dr David Steven, Sports Chiropractor

neck injuries on the rugby f ield when in the ruck, tackle or scrum.
Sam has impressed me greatly over the years with his generosity of spirit. His
time spent coaching and mentoring younger athletes and his contribution
to the safety of the rugby union player is unsurpassed.

If you’re on the rugby union f ield or a parent of a young player you need
Neck Protech.

Dr David Steven has been a Sports Chiropractor for 25 years. He has

had extensive experience in various sports and worked at Olympic and
Commonwealth Games with many athletes including numerous World
Champions and Gold Medalists.

Dr Steven has a special interest in rugby union and has worked closely with
various International players including Stephen Larkham, Sekope Kepu, Mark
Gerrard, Sharni Williams, Wycliff Palu and Jason Little, amongst many others.

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Neck Protech

Introduction
Prevention is better than reaction.

Whilst we acknowledge that neck injuries do happen in rugby, we also

understand that many of these can be prevented through basic training
and education around neck safety.

Unfortunately, being a contact sport means that sustaining a spinal injury

is one of the risks we take every time we train or play. As players, parents
and coaches, we need to do everything we can to mitigate this risk by
doing something proactive about it. It’s a duty of care, but less obviously,
it’s common sense.

It’s not about changing the rules to make the game safer, it’s about
changing ourselves to make the game safer.

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Introduction
To emphasise this lack of common sense in a more relatable everyday
scenario, imagine you’re going to the beach on a hot day; one of the risks
associated with this is getting sunburned. You can do one of three things:
Stay at home where there is no chance of getting sunburned
(reactive)
Do nothing and risk getting sunburned (passive)

Put sunscreen on and enjoy the beautiful weather, minimising the

risk of getting sunburned (proactive)

The majority of people choose the third option, a smaller amount the
second, and an even smaller amount the first.

Why is playing rugby any different? One of the risks is sustaining a neck
injury. But instead of doing something about it, the vast majority are
burying their heads in the sand on this issue.

As a player, parent or coach who is worried about neck safety, ask yourself
this – what are YOU doing about it? Which one are you?

Reactive Passive Proactive

Are you REACTIVE and Are you PASSIVE Are you PROACTIVE
withdrawing yourself, and doing nothing, and looking for a
your child or your hoping that you never solution by finding
players f rom the sport experience a severe out how to reduce the
because you don’t neck injury? risk of a neck injury?
know how to prevent E.g. an appropriate
this f rom happening? neck strengthening
program. 9
Neck Protech

Introduction
Continued.
The rugby community needs you be proactive in your approach to neck
safety. The governing rugby bodies are yet to create an appropriate
standard or code around neck safety, and as a result, many spinal injuries
still occur that may have been prevented.

It seems as though because such injuries are rare, when they do occur
we talk about it for a few months and then the conversation stops. These
devastating injuries don’t seem to be common enough to do something
about. This is ridiculous. Although they are a rare occurrence, when they
do occur, the consequences are catastrophic, and that player and their
family’s lives have changed forever.

Despite changing the laws to make scrums safer, which has reduced the
number of hyperflexion (extreme flexion of the neck) injuries, there are still
many cervical (neck) injuries that occur due to forces f rom other directions
in general play. There is nothing in place to gauge the level of neck
strength and resilience of players prior to commencing their rugby journey
at either club or school level. Training the neck is also not a mandatory part
of club or school rugby in Australia, and it should be.

For example, physical testing for the armed forces; if a recruit can’t meet
a base standard of strength and fitness through a push up or beep test,
that recruit is told to try again another time. Why? Because they cannot
demonstrate a basic level of strength or f itness, which puts them at a
higher risk of getting injured, and not being able to complete the tasks
required safely and eff iciently.

The same approach should apply for rugby. If a player cannot demonstrate
a basic level of neck strength, then the player should be told to only return
once they can. For junior players, they should be following a structured
neck training program to develop the fundamentals of neck strength. This
immediately reduces the risk of sustaining a life altering neck injury.
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 Neck Protech

Introduction
Continued.
It’s paramount for all rugby players, not just those involved in the scrum
to have adequate neck strength. During a game and in every scrum, your
neck is subjected to forces from many different directions. The direction
and magnitude of these forces need to be taken into consideration and
applied when training the neck.

Your neck and shoulders are the contact points of impact during a game,
and during a scrum, so making them bulletproof needs to be a priority.
Having a strong neck allows you to effectively and safely transfer the force
from your lower body, trunk and upper body, as well as reduce the severity
of whiplash related concussions.

For junior players, a simple neck training program serves as the perfect
foundation upon which they can build to more specif ic neck exercises, as
they make their way through the age groups. 10 minutes a week (less than
1% of your week) is all it takes to start being proactive.

The purpose of this guide is to educate you on the importance of neck

training to reduce the risk of a serious neck injury, and to give you peace
of mind knowing that you are well prepared for contact, heading into the
upcoming season.

Neck Protech is suitable for players of all ages and requires no equipment
to complete. All of the exercises in this guide are accompanied by a video
series on our website www.scrumstrong.com/neckprotechtutorials which
we strongly recommend you watch prior to completing any exercises.

The references listed at the end of this guide form the basis for our
proactive approach to neck training.

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Neck Protech

Safety and Technique

The number one concern for everyone
involved in the rugby community.

Neck training is associated with a taboo stigma, and that it should be

avoided as it will cause a spinal injury. This is possibly because of neck
injuries that have happened in the past, people are af raid to train this
sensitive area of the body. When in fact training the neck will reduce the
risk of sustaining a life altering neck injury or whiplash related concussion
on the rugby f ield. There is signif icant research to support this.

The neck is often the weak link in the chain, and that is why it is so
important to train. Force cannot be transferred through a weak neck. Think
of the game snooker – once you’ve taken aim, the force generated through
your back hand, gets transferred through the cue, and onto the ball, which
in turn moves the ball (hopefully to where you want it to go). Now what
would happen if you replaced the last 30cm of the cue with a piece of
cooked spaghetti? Would the force you’ve generated through your back
hand be able to get transferred effectively onto the ball? No chance.

Picture yourself in a rugby scenario making a

tackle. You’ve got your f ront foot in close, you’ve
lowered your body height and are loaded up
to transfer your force through your opposition.
Now at the point of impact, being able to
efficiently and safely transfer this force through
your neck and shoulders is of great importance.
Correct technique Not training your neck for rugby has a similar
is essential when impact in a game, cooked spaghetti is all that is
training the neck. transferring your force. A weak neck increases
your risk dramatically of sustaining a spinal
injury.

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 Neck Protech

Safety and Technique

Continued.

Just like any other muscle group in your body, training your neck consistently
will make it stronger and more resilient over time. Further to this, much the
same as what happens after training any other part of your body, the muscles of
your neck and shoulders will become sore after training. If you went to the gym
and did some squats, and then pulled up sore the next day, would you think
that you tore your hamstrings off the bone? No. So there’s no need to fear slight
soreness in the neck, after you’ve trained it. And just like every other muscle
group that hasn’t been trained in a long time, the soreness may hang around
for a few days. This is your body adapting to the new load being placed on it. If
your pain is severe and lasts more than a few days, it is advised that you see a
medical professional

Much the same as doing any exercise in the gym, doing it incorrectly may result
in injury, and that’s why proper technique is essential for any neck exercises.
Always listen to your body, and learn the importance of differentiating between
injury pain and general muscle soreness.

For rugby, your neck needs to be strong whilst moving (dynamic), stationary
(isometric), and also the less trained skill of reactive isometric positions. Players
expose their neck to all of these positions many times during a game, and so
training these is common sense.

In relation to concussions, having adequate neck strength will reduce the risk
of sustaining a whiplash related concussion, as well as reduce the severity of
the concussion symptoms. Strengthening the muscles around the cervical
spine and upper back has been shown to decrease the rate at which the
head accelerates in a linear (forwards/backwards and left/right) and rotational
direction, which is a leading cause in whiplash related concussions. Current
research continues to support the hypotheses that a stronger neck decreases
the risk of a sports related concussion.
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Neck Strength and

Scrummaging Performance

From a performance perspective, you can get the edge on your opposition
and reduce the risk of injury by having a strong neck.

A common example of how neck strength can affect the technical aspects
of your scrummaging is tightheads who head in on an angle during their
set-up.

Many looseheads use their head/neck to push the tightheads head in, prior
to the set. A tighthead with a weak neck allows this to happen, and as a
result, gets bullied into taking an angle onto the hooker, which is exactly
what the opposing loosehead wants to happen, as this makes their job
much easier in some respects.

On the flip side, is a tighthead with a strong neck.

If the same loosehead from above does the same
thing to this tighthead, the tighthead won’t move
their neck and will stay square on the loosehead.

This means the loosehead has to work much harder

in order to f ind a way through the tighthead.
A weak neck
will expose
When this happens, some looseheads will step out
your technical
(unintentionally sometimes) in order to create an
weaknesses.
opening for themselves, and a good tighthead will
A strong neck
use this opportunity to split the poor shoulder and
allows your
hip connections that are left between the loosehead
technical skills to
and hooker.
shine through.

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Neck Training Program

Whilst there is a plethora of neck exercises that can be done with and
without any additional equipment, this guide will focus on only three
very simple, but extremely effective exercises, that require no equipment.
These three exercises will dramatically increase the strength and resilience
of your neck. We have selected only three exercises because they offer
a low impact solution as a starting point, which is crucial to the overall
development of the neck musculature.

The program has eight weeks of progressions for the exercises to ensure
that the neck is continually adapting to different loads, in different ways.
Note that all of these exercises need to be done with full core activation
(glutes engaged, neutral pelvis, diaphragm breathing). The focus is on
maintaining the correct position throughout the exercise via bracing
through your trunk.

Previously we mentioned the need for dynamic, isometric, and reactive

exercises, to replicate the demands placed on the neck during a game.
Below are our three very simple neck exercises that require almost no
space, no equipment, and can be done on your own, or as part of a team
training session.

Dynamic Isometric Reactive

(Neck rotations) (Wall plank) (Seated/Base
Lateral flexion | Front | Back |Left| Position)
Forward flexion/ Right Front | Back |
extension | Left | Right |
Rotation Compression

This plan should be completed a minimum of twice per week before

the season, and then at least once per week during the season. You can
progress these exercises based on how your strength is developing by
either increasing the amount of sets, reps or duration of the exercise.
Once these fundamental exercises have been mastered, ONLY then
should you progress to more advanced neck training and start to get more
specific with your neck program.
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Dynamic Strengthening
Samuel Ward, Physiotherapist

A dynamic exercise involves maintaining constant tension in a muscle

whilst the muscle changes length.

Dynamic exercises are a must in any strengthening program. This type

of exercise helps to improve the strength and control of a joint by forcing
the muscle to maintain muscle tension as it moves through its range. This
control is especially important in a contact sport like rugby as the body is
required to generate forces to slow down opposing players. During a rugby
tackle the upper trapezius is one muscle that is required to support the
neck and assist in slowing the opposing player.

When performing these exercises it is important that you are careful of a

couple of common compensatory movements that may occur without you
realising.

Shrugging of the shoulders towards your ears. It is important

that you squeeze your shoulder blades back and down whilst
performing the movements.

Excessive chin tuck or poke: this causes your neck to be put in a

compromised position, either too much flexion or extension and
will not enable force to be evenly distributed upon impact. This
position also puts increased load through the posterior muscles
of the neck. It’s essential to keep the head and neck in a neutral
position. It is important to note that when a player is tackling
with their non-dominant shoulder it has been shown that
there are increased levels of neck flexion upon impact, which
is associated with higher rates of injury. As a coach or player,
ensure time is spent practicing tackling technique using the
non-dominant side.
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Neck Rotations
Dynamic

Having a strong neck means that it is strong in all directions.

These exercises focus on training the neck in a dynamic way through

rotation, forward flexion and extension, and lateral flexion.

For these exercises, your eyes and neck move in the same direction.

Lay on the ground or bench with your head slightly lifted off the surface so
that it is unsupported.

The arrows displayed indicate the direction

your eyes and head will move:

Lateral flexion Forward flexion Rotation

Left ear to left and extension Turn left and look
shoulder, right Chin to chest, over left shoulder,
ear to right back to neutral = turn right and
shoulder = 1 rep 1 rep look over right
shoulder = 1 rep

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Lateral Flexion
Left ear to left shoulder, right ear to right
shoulder = 1 rep
Left side Neutral

Right side

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Forward Flexion and

Extension
Chin to chest, back to neutral = 1 rep

Neutral position Forward flexion

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Rotation
Turn left and look over left shoulder, turn
right and look over right shoulder = 1 rep

Right side Left side

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Isometric Strengthening
Samuel Ward, Physiotherapist
An isometric exercise is performed in a stationary position. During this type
of strengthening you will see no change in muscle length or change in the
angle of a joint.

Isometric exercises are a great starting point for anyone who has not done
much strength training before, as they can allow for gentle loading of
muscles and tendons whilst working to maintain the proper form/posture.
This is important for rugby. Isometric exercises have been seen to have
a pain reducing effect on athletes, so commencing your strengthening
program with this type of exercise will further help to minimise any
potential injuries.

It is important when performing these exercises to make sure that you

progress slowly and make sure that you allow for a resting period following
the exercise. This is to allow the body time to recover f rom the exercise.

Something to be aware of when you begin any exercise program is Delayed

Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). DOMS symptoms can range f rom slight
muscle tenderness to severe pain. The symptoms can start immediately
after f inishing the exercise or up to 48 hours after. It is advised that if you
experience intense DOMS following completion of the exercises, reduce
your load for 1 - 2 days following.

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Neck Protech

Wall Plank
Isometric

Keeping your torso upright, lean at an angle against a wall using your neck
(imagine you are a flat plank of wood – no curves or bends). You need to
maintain this braced position in all four directions – FRONT, BACK, LEFT,
RIGHT.

Start close to the wall and move further away to increase the resistance
of the exercise. You don’t have to move far away f rom the wall to make it
signif icantly harder.

It’s important that during the initial stages of learning this exercise, that
you start close to the wall, and only progress after you can confidently
complete each week. This exercise becomes exponentially more
challenging as your move further away.

When training left and right sides, your back foot should be the foot on the
same side as the wall. For example: if you are leaning on the wall with the
left side of your head, your left leg will be the back leg, with your right leg
in-line, in f ront.

The only way this exercise can become dangerous is

if you start to move too far away f rom the wall. If you
find yourself moving too far away, and you feel that
you may slip, STOP immediately. You are better off
increasing the duration of your hold to make it more
challenging, instead of moving further away.
Focus Point
Don’t drop your
Note – you can use a folded-up towel to place hips towards
between your head and the wall. the wall, and
maintaining a flat
plank position.
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Front Plank
Lean with the front of your forehead against
the wall

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Back Plank
Lean with the back of your head against the
wall

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Lateral Plank - Left/Right

Lean with the left/right side of your head
against the wall

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Reactive Isometric Training

Scott Hoare, Strength and Conditioning Coach
The importance of neck strength and stiffness within the game of rugby
cannot be understated for players of all positions. These two qualities
alone however, are not sufficient to optimise a player’s injury prevention or
performance outcomes.

To achieve optimal athletic performance, athletes must possess not only

a large strength reserve, but must be able to utilise this strength at short
notice during unplanned contact and within a variety of different body
positions, likely to be found during a match.

An athlete’s capacity to create reactive stability relies on several different

systems within the body working together in a coordinated effort. Body
awareness (proprioception), balance and spatial awareness (vestibular
system), vision and even decision-making all play vital roles in ensuring
that an athlete can brace eff iciently and effectively after an unplanned
contact.

Each of these systems can, and should, be influenced within an

intelligently planned training session. As an example, if an athlete
has strong visual and cognitive (decision-making) abilities, but has
underdeveloped proprioception, they may be slower to brace after an
impact that they didn’t see coming, a common occurrence within a scrum
or ruck.

This relative lack of body awareness may only result in a split-second slower
reaction time, but unfortunately on a rugby f ield that can have large
implications. By including the following exercises in your program, you
are giving yourself or your athletes every opportunity to be an increasingly
effective and robust player.

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 Neck Protech

Reactive

By eliminating the visual feedback, they receive f rom their surroundings,

players must react in such a way that develops their reactive isometric
strength. You will require a partner for this drill, so this is great to do as part
of a team warm up and takes almost no time.

There are three phases to this drill:

• Phase one; seated with eyes open
Sit in an upright position with trunk braced, head in a neutral position,
and eyes open. Your partner will apply moderate pressure f rom 4
different directions (right, left, back and f ront) to your head, at fast
intervals for 20 seconds.
• Phase two; seated with eyes closed
Sit in an upright position with trunk braced, head in a neutral position,
and eyes closed. Your partner will apply stronger pressure f rom 4
different directions (right, left, back and f ront) to your head, at slower
intervals for 20 seconds.
• Phase three; base position with eyes closed
Start in the base position with trunk braced, head in a neutral position,
and eyes closed. Your partner will apply either moderate or stronger
pressure on 4 different directions to your head, at fast or slow intervals
for 20 seconds.

Focus Point
The goal of this drill is to reduce the amount of time
between the player getting their head touched, and
their response. The faster this happens, the better this
player will be at responding to these types of forces
during a match.

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Neck Protech

Reactive
Seated with eyes open

Left side Back

Focus Point
Maintain a neutral position with your head/
neck for the duration of the drill.

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Reactive
Seated with eyes open continued.
Front Right side

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Reactive
Seated with eyes closed

Left side Back

Focus Point
Don’t overcorrect movements and work hard
to maintain a neutral head/neck position.

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 Neck Protech

Reactive
Seated with eyes closed continued.
Front Right side

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Base Position
Eyes closed

Base Position posture

Focus Point
Maintain the height
of hips and shoulders
whilst keeping head
in a strong neutral
position.

Right side Left side

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Base Position
Eyes closed
Back Front

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8 week plan
WEEK 1 Dynamic: lateral flexion, forward flexion, rotation
• 3 x 10 reps of each direction
Isometric: f ront, left, back, right
• 5 second hold x 3 sets of each direction
Reactive: seated eyes open
• Slower, moderate pressure, more f requent contacts
• 3 x 15 touches in 20 seconds

WEEK 2 Dynamic: lateral flexion, forward flexion, rotation

• 3 x 15 reps of each direction
Isometric: front, left, back, right
• 10 second hold x 3 sets of each direction
Reactive: seated eyes open
• Slower, moderate pressure, more f requent contacts
• 3 x 15 touches in 20 seconds

WEEK 3 Dynamic: lateral flexion, forward flexion, rotation

• 3 x 20 reps of each direction
Isometric: f ront, left, back, right
• 15 second hold x 3 sets of each direction
Reactive: seated eyes closed
• Faster, stronger pressure, less frequent contacts
• 3 x 5 touches in 20 seconds

WEEK 4 Dynamic: lateral flexion, forward flexion, rotation

• 3 x 25 reps of each direction
Isometric: f ront, left, back, right
• 20 second hold x 3 sets of each direction
Reactive: seated eyes closed
• Faster, stronger pressure, less frequent contacts
• 3 x 5 touches in 20 seconds

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WEEK 5 Dynamic: lateral flexion, forward flexion, rotation
• 4 x 10 reps of each direction
Isometric: f ront, left, back, right
• Move slightly further away f rom wall
• 5 second hold x 3 sets of each direction
Reactive: base position eyed closed
• Slower, moderate pressure, more f requent contacts
• 3 x 15 touches in 20 seconds

WEEK 6 Dynamic: lateral flexion, forward flexion, rotation

• 4 x 15 reps of each direction
Isometric: f ront, left, back, right
• 10 second hold x 3 sets of each direction
Reactive: base position eyed closed
• Slower, moderate pressure, more f requent contacts
• 3 x 15 touches in 20 seconds

WEEK 7 Dynamic: lateral flexion, forward flexion, rotation

• 4 x 20 reps of each direction
Isometric: Front, left, back, right
• 15 second hold x 3 sets of each direction
Reactive: base position eyed closed
• Faster, stronger pressure, less frequent contacts
• 3x 5 touches in 20 seconds

WEEK 8 Dynamic: lateral flexion, forward flexion, rotation

• 4 x 25 reps of each direction
Isometric: f ront, left, back, right
• 20 second hold x 3 sets of each direction
Reactive: base position eyed closed
• Faster, stronger pressure, less frequent contacts
• 3x 5 touches in 20 seconds

Resting: Rest as needed between sets and exercises.

Recommended time is 15 - 60 seconds.
Video tutorials: watch tutorials prior to commencement
www.scrumstrong.com/neckprotechtutorials

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Get started

If you put into practise what you’ve learnt in this guide you will increase
the strength and resilience of your neck, and in turn, decrease your risk of
sustaining a life altering spinal injury.

Training your neck could save your life.

Get in touch with

Scrum Strong
If you have any questions about any
of the content, please get in touch,
we would be more than happy
to assist in any way we can. We
respond to every enquiry.

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 Neck Protech

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Dempsey A, Fairchild T, Appleby B. The Relationship Between Neck Strength and

Head Accelerations in a Rugby Tackle. International Conference of Biomechanics in
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Dennison C, Macr E, Cripton P. Mechanisms of Cervical Spine Injury in Rugby Union:

is it Premature to Abandon Hyperflexion as the Main Mechanism Underpinning
Injury. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2012 Jun;46:545-549.

Geary K, Green B, Delahunt, E. Effects of Neck Strength Training on Isometric

Neck Strength in Rugby Union Players. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. 2014
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Gilchrist I, Storr M, Chapman E, Pelland L. Neck Muscle Strength Training in the Risk
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Practice. Journal of Athletic Development. 2015 Jun;(4)2.

Hamilton D, Gatherer D, Jenkins P, Maclean J, Hutchison J, Nutton R, et al. Age-

related differences in the neck strength of adolescent rugby players. Bone and Joint
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Hrysomallis C. Neck Musculature Strength, Training, Performance and Sport Injury

Risk: A Review. Sports Medicine. 2016 Aug;46(8):1111-1124.

Naish R, Burnett A, Burrows S, Andrews W, Appleby, B. Can a Specific Neck

Strengthening Program Decrease Cervical Spine Injuries in a Men’s Professional
Rugby Union team? A retrospective Analysis. Journal of Sports Science and
Medicine. 2013 Sep;12(3):542-550.

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References
Continued.
Olivier P, Du Toit D. Isokinetic Neck Strength Profile of Senior Elite Rugby Union
Players. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 2008 Apr;11(2):96-105.

Rio E, van Ark M, Docking S, Lorimer M, Kidgell D, van den Akker-Scheek I, et al.
Isometric Contractions Are More Analgesic Than Isotonic Contractions for Patellar
Tendon Pain: An In-Season Randomized Clinical Trial. Clinical Journal of Sports
Medicine. 2017 May;27(3):253-259

Streifer M, Brown A, Porfido T, Anderson E, Buckman J, Esopenko, C. The Potential

Role of the Cervical Spine in Sports-Related Concussion: Clinical Perspectives and
Considerations for Risk Reduction. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy.
2019;0(0):1-22.

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