Muscle and Biomechanical Factors in Football-Related Neck Pain

Neck Pain and Head Impacts: Evaluation of the Role of Muscular and Biomechanical Factors in Varsity Football Players.

The study aims to analyze the influence of muscular and biomechanical characteristics of the cervical spine on the onset and progression of neck pain in collegiate football players.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Neck Pain
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Time over a regular football season

Detailed Description

Repeated head impacts in contact sports are associated with an increased risk of concussion and persistent neck pain. While the neurological consequences of cranial impacts are well documented, the role of muscular and biomechanical factors of the cervical spine remains poorly understood. This study aims to examine their influence on the incidence and progression of neck pain in collegiate football players over the course of a season.This prospective cohort study will include between 40 and 60 collegiate football players assessed at three key time points (pre-season, mid-season, and post-season). Cervical range of motion, muscle activity (EMG), as well as cervical strength and endurance will be measured during these evaluations. Head impacts will be quantified throughout the football season using instrumented mouthguards. Players will complete questionnaires assessing neck pain, function, and disability. The data will analyze how head impacts, neck movements, and muscle activity influence symptom severity using advanced statistical methods that account for inter-individual variability.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 90

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Canada
  • Quebec
    • Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3W
      • Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal (IUGM)

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

All players from Concordia university football team, Carabin football team and McGill university football team will be invited to participate.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being enrolled as a football player in a varsity team during 2025-2026 season.

Exclusion Criteria:

• None

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Muscle activity in flexion at pre-season	Amplitude of neck muscle activity measured using surface electromyography electrodes during maximal voluntary contraction in neck flexion.	At pre-season (Day 0)
Muscle activity in flexion at post-season	Amplitude of neck muscle activity measured using surface electromyography electrodes during maximal voluntary contraction in neck flexion.	At post-season (around 4 months)
Muscle activity during endurance test at pre-season	Amplitude of neck muscle activity measured using surface electromyography electrodes during neck flexion endurance test.	At pre-season (day 0)
Muscle activity during endurance at post-season	Amplitude of neck muscle activity measured using surface electromyography electrodes during neck flexion endurance test.	At post-season (around 4 months)
Endurance time pre-season	Total time during neck flexion endurance test.	At pre-season (Day 0)
Endurance time at post-season	Total time during neck flexion endurance test.	At post-season (around 4 months)
Flexion-relaxation ratio at pre-season	Ratio between amplitude of neck muscle activity measured using surface electromyography electrodes during cervical flexion and full flexion.	At pre-season (Day 0)
Flexion-relation ratio at post-season	Ratio between amplitude of neck muscle activity measured using surface electromyography electrodes during cervical flexion and full flexion.	At post-season (around 4 months)
Force at pre-season	Amplitude of maximal voluntary contraction during neck flexion.	At pre-season (day 0)
Force at post-season	Amplitude of maximal voluntary contraction during neck flexion.	At post-season (around 4 months)
Range of motion at pre-season	Range of motion in flexion, extension, rotation and lateral flexion of the neck	At pre-season (day 0)
Range of motion at post-season	Range of motion in flexion, extension, rotation and lateral flexion of the neck	At post-season (around 4 months)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
• Collaborators: Quebec Pain Research Network; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Canada
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Laurie-Ann Corbin-Berrigan, PhD, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 5, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 20, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): December 20, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 22, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 12, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): February 20, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 20, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 12, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Electromyography; Biomechanics; Range of motion; Muscle function; Cervical spine
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Neck Pain
• Other Study ID Numbers: UQTR_IP_Football_neck

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No