Concussion, or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is frequently associated with sports activities. It has generally been accepted that neck strengthening exercises are effective as a preventive strategy for reducing sports-related concussion risks. However, the interpretation of the link between neck strength and concussion risks remains unclear. In this study, a typical helmeted head-to-head impact in American football was simulated using the head and neck complex finite element (FE) model. The impact scenario selected was previously reported in lab-controlled incident reconstructions from high-speed video footages of the National Football League using two head-neck complexes taken from Hybrid III dummies. Four different muscle activation strategies were designed to represent no muscle response, a reactive muscle response, a pre-activation response, and response due to stronger muscle strength. Head kinematics and various head/brain injury risk predictors were selected as response variables to compare the effects of neck muscles on the risk of sustaining the concussion. Simulation results indicated that active responses of neck muscles could effectively reduce the risk of brain injury. Also, anticipatory muscle activation played a dominant role on impact outcomes. Increased neck strength can decrease the time to compress the neck and its effects on reducing brain injury risks need to be further studied.
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October 2017
Research-Article
The Role of Neck Muscle Activities on the Risk of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in American Football
Xin Jin,
Xin Jin
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201
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Zhaoying Feng,
Zhaoying Feng
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201
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Valerie Mika,
Valerie Mika
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201
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Haiyan Li,
Haiyan Li
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201;
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201;
College of Mechanical Engineering,
Tianjin University of Science and Technology,
Tianjin 300222, China
Tianjin University of Science and Technology,
Tianjin 300222, China
Search for other works by this author on:
David C. Viano,
David C. Viano
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201;
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201;
Probiomechanics LLC,
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
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King H. Yang
King H. Yang
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201
Search for other works by this author on:
Xin Jin
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201
Zhaoying Feng
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201
Valerie Mika
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201
Haiyan Li
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201;
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201;
College of Mechanical Engineering,
Tianjin University of Science and Technology,
Tianjin 300222, China
Tianjin University of Science and Technology,
Tianjin 300222, China
David C. Viano
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201;
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201;
Probiomechanics LLC,
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
King H. Yang
Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201
Wayne State University,
Detroit, MI 48201
Manuscript received April 28, 2016; final manuscript received July 11, 2017; published online August 16, 2017. Editor: Beth A. Winkelstein.
J Biomech Eng. Oct 2017, 139(10): 101002 (7 pages)
Published Online: August 16, 2017
Article history
Received:
April 28, 2016
Revised:
July 11, 2017
Citation
Jin, X., Feng, Z., Mika, V., Li, H., Viano, D. C., and Yang, K. H. (August 16, 2017). "The Role of Neck Muscle Activities on the Risk of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in American Football." ASME. J Biomech Eng. October 2017; 139(10): 101002. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4037399
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