June/July 2023 - 32

Is Neck Training Still An Afterthought in 2023?
How you can tackle neck training with Iron Neck
The discussion surrounding neck
strength has become increasingly
relevant in recent years, driven by
a heightened focus on concussion
prevention and the growing prevalence
of forward head posture. Neck
strengthening exercises are commonly
utilized in both injury rehabilitation and
prevention.
However, a significant challenge
persists: neck training is often an
afterthought rather than a proactive
measure. In 2023, many athletic
programs have yet to fully integrate
neck training protocols, leaving a gap in
comprehensive athlete care and injury
prevention strategies.
While some sports programs, like
football and wrestling, have recognized
the importance of neck training,
its implementation remains limited
in many others. For instance, high
school women's soccer programs, as
well as those in lacrosse, basketball,
cheerleading, and gymnastics, are
often missing any form of neck training.
This oversight leaves female athletes
especially vulnerable to potential
injuries.
To address this issue, rehabilitation
professionals have taken the lead in
integrating the Iron Neck system into
their treatment protocols for a wide
array of neck and postural issues. These
professional athletic trainers, physical
therapists and chiropractors understand
that the benefits of Iron Neck can be
applied to both concussion prevention
and rehabilitation efforts.
Innovating Concussion Rehabilitation
Stephanie Barbakoff, a chiropractic
neurologist at Oculus Brain Center in San
Diego, specializes in treating high school
female soccer players recovering from
concussions.
" You don't need to hit your head to get
a concussion, " Barbakoff explains. " Just
the whiplash alone can be enough to
result in shearing forces inside the brain. "
Recognizing the importance
of targeted neck training in postconcussion
rehabilitation, she has
integrated Iron Neck into her patients'
recovery protocols.
" Iron Neck really is the best way to
integrate the vestibular system, the
ocular system, and the proprioceptive
system together, " says Barbakoff.
By combining specific Iron Neck
exercises with comprehensive treatment
strategies, Barbakoff helps her patients
regain neck strength, reduce postconcussion
symptoms, and accelerate
their return to play safely.
University of Texas Football
Leading Way
The University of Texas football
program is one of hundreds of collegiate
programs to have implemented Iron
Neck protocols in the weight room
over the past decade. Strength and
conditioning coach, Jeff " Maddog "
Madden, first introduced Iron Neck as
a way to help reduce concussion risk in
football players.
" You're always looking for something
to keep your players safer. Iron Neck
helped us do just that, " Madden
acknowledges. " The higher concussion
rates in women's sports are a problem
too and the multi-directional exercises
our athletes can achieve with Iron Neck
are an important part of reducing that
injury risk. "
The University of Texas athletic
training facilities followed suit in 2018
when then head Athletic Trainer Anthony
Pass incorporated Iron Neck into the
recovery process for football players
who had suffered concussions. This
move further exemplifies the growing
recognition of the role neck training
plays in concussion prevention and
rehabilitation.
Correcting Poor Posture
The rising regularity of poor
posture isn't just commonplace in
ADVERTISEMENT
the professional workforce. Kids are
now growing up craned over iPads
and iPhones from an early age and
by the time they reach high school
and college, poor posture has been
ingrained.
Ashley Kumar, a St. Louis based
physical therapist, has developed a
four-stage protocol to correct Upper
Crossed Syndrome using the Iron Neck
system. Upper Crossed Syndrome is
a condition characterized by forward
head posture, rounded shoulders, and
weak neck and upper back muscles.
" I've seen such rapid results with
my neck pain patients, " Kumar shares.
" They're strengthening their necks in
a different way than traditional therapy
and they get out of neck pain because
they're getting strong through that full
active range of motion. "
By incorporating Iron Neck exercises
into her treatment plan, Ashley Kumar
has been able to effectively address
these postural issues and improve her
patients' overall neck strength and
stability. (Watch Kumar's Iron Neck
protocol at iron-neck.com/training)
Applying Innovation Forward
As the discussion around neck
strength and its impact on athlete safety
and performance continues to evolve,
it is essential for professionals in the
field to recognize the value of proactive
neck training protocols. These examples
highlight the versatility and efficacy of
the Iron Neck system across concussion
prevention and rehabilitation efforts.
By incorporating an innovative
approach to neck training with Iron
Neck, athletic trainers, strength and
conditioning coaches, and personal
trainers can address a wide range
of neck and postural issues, helping
athletes recover faster, improve
performance, and reduce the risk of
future injuries.
For more information about Iron Neck,
visit www.iron-neck.com/performance.
http://www.iron-neck.com/training http://www.iron-neck.com/performance
June/July 2023

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