Besides football, women's soccer has one of the greatest incidents of concussion.  This may surprise most of you but a recent study explains why.  Dawn Comstock,  associate professor of epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health, has confirmed what many have suspected—that neck strength could be a predictor of  concussions. Since concussions are caused by the brain banging around inside the  skull, the weaker the neck, the more movement the head experiences upon an impact.  Check out the size of the neck of the player in the photo.  
 
That advice is based on Comstock’s research findings. During two academic
years, athletic trainers took a series of measurements of the heads and four
measurements of neck strength of 6,704 student athletes— boys and girls who  played lacrosse, soccer and basketball. Then they recorded all incidents of  injuries—including concussions—that occurred with every subject.

 When they examined their data, Athletes who experienced concussions had smaller neck circumferences
than did their fellow players and frequently had a small neck paired with a large head. Those injured
also had less neck strength than did athletes who did not suffer a concussion.  According to Gregory, overall neck strength remained a significant predictor of  concussion. For every one pound increase in neck strength, odds of concussion  fell by 5%.  This is a dramatic prevention tool.  The one problem that one may run into, is how to strengthen properly. 

First, the Athlete must have proper joint motion, flexibility in the ligaments
and muscles, and a proper curvature to the spine.  You do not want to
strengthen around improper function which can lead to degenerative problems
later.  What you do want to do is to be checked and corrected by your
Doctor of Chiropractic, and then given a series of age appropriate strengthening
exercises.   The neck circumference should be measured for increase
and function should be tested and corrected if  necessary.

Yours in health,

Dr. Kimberly G.
Maziarz-Carlucci
86 Valley Rd, Montclair,
NJ
973-744-9880
drkimmymaz@aol.com
www.CarlucciChiropractic.com
www.ForwardMotion.net

 The #1 Reason to Work Out Today      
              
 
  Exercise boosts your mood instantly.       It’s not easy to make time to
work out every day. Gym sessions cut  into your work time, family time, snooze
time, and downtime. But here’s  some fitness news that will make you smile. A
new study in the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology found that as little
as 15 minutes of physical activity increases levels of feelings like enthusiasm,
pride, happiness, and excitement.      The study tracked the daily activities of
190 college students. They  kept a journal logging the amount and level of
exercise they got and  their overall emotional states. The more physically
active people  reported greater levels of pleasant feelings, compared to their 
less-active counterparts, reported the Penn State University  researchers. In
fact, the participants had higher levels of these  feelings on days when they
are more physically active than usual.    
     Many people lose motivation
to keep exercising because they don’t see  results—weight loss, better muscle
tone, and greater  strength—instantly.  But gaining  short-term
rewards—like boosts in mood—may keep you coming back until  you reach your
long-term goals

     Although the study didn’t assess how exercise works
to lift spirits,  the researchers suspect changes in levels of brain chemicals
during and  after physical activity may be involved. Don’t worry: You don’t have
to  be a marathon runner  to get these feel-good benefits. For a quick boost of
happiness, go for  a quick walk around your office building during lunch,
challenge your  kids to a snowball fight in the backyard, or try a 15 min
workout.  Not motivated on your own?  Come workout with us in a small
group.  We do short-quick burst exercise that last for as little as 15 min,
30 min or an hour if your feeling energetic.  Join the fun!             

Yours in health,               Dr. Kimberly
Maziarz Carlucci, DC       86 Valley Rd, Montclair, NJ  07042     
  973-744-9880
www.ForwardMotion.net
www.PosturePerfectChiropractic.com