neck

When athletes see a hit coming, they instinctively flex their neck muscles. Since it is the acceleration of the brain after a force is applied or transmitted to the head that results in concussion, reducing the acceleration of the head after impact can reduce the risk of sustaining a sport-related concussion. One way to do that is by strengthening the neck muscles.

While there are no exercises to treat a concussion, exercises to strengthen the neck muscles and maintain or improve posture can help reduce the risk of injury. Even if the risk reduction is small, it's still worth the effort.

One often overlooked area of an athlete's body that needs protection from potentially life-threatening injury is the throat and neck, particularly in ice hockey and lacrosse, both of which are played with sticks and high-speed projectiles (pucks/balls) that can come in contact with a player's throat area.