Neuromuscular Strength Training clinical trials

TopSpin360 in Female Varsity Athletes

The growing recognition of the short and long-term effects of head-neck trauma on athletes is stimulating the search for preventative measures while improving on-field performance. This study's goal is to evaluate the effect of a 12-week training protocol of the TopSpin360 neuromuscular training device on static and dynamic neck strength and sprinting performance in female varsity level athletes. This study will recruit athletes from the women's varsity soccer and rugby teams. As part of their standard out of season testing, they will have their static and dynamic neck strength, neck girth and 40 yard dash times assessed at inception into the study. The athletes will then be invited to participate in the TopSpin360 training program. This program incorporates training sessions on the TopSpin360 of 3-5 sets of 50 revolutions in each direction of clockwise and counterclockwise three times a week to improve static and dynamic neck strength but not sprint performance specifically. The sessions last 10-15 minutes and will run for 12 weeks. Members of the research team will supervise these training sessions 3 days per week as an addition to their out of season training program. Neck girth, static and dynamic neck strength and 40 yard dash times will be reassessed after the 12 week training intervention. The study hypothesis is that training on the TopSpin360 will result in improved static and dynamic neck strength and improved 40-yard dash times. A secondary hypothesis is that the change in neck strength will be positively associated with the change in 40-yard dash times, aligning with an emerging theory of athletic performance related to dynamic control of the entire kinetic chain including the neck. Routine re-evaluation of neck strength throughout the duration of the 12-week program will provide additional information on the trajectory of training effects and estimates of time-to-peak performance.