The measurement of neck strength: A guide for sports medicine clinicians.

This masterclass aims to provide an overview of the measurement of neck strength and the factors which can increase the ecological validity of the testing protocol within an athletic population. Adopting a 'gold standard' method for measuring neck strength is of vital importance when determining strength differences across sports, ages and sexes. Without a 'gold standard' method current variations in testing procedure and equipment have created challenges in establishing normative neck strength data. With encouraging evidence that higher neck strength can have a protective effect against sports-related head and neck injuries, including concussion, new injury prevention knowledge may be impeded by a lack of consensus on how to accurately measure neck strength, with a number of different methods available. This masterclass will outline the factors clinicians should consider when selecting a device and measurement protocol when measuring maximal neck strength as well as how to interpret the results.