TopSpin360 in Female Varsity Athletes

NCT03844087 | Completed Phase 1

• 1 other identifier: 112841
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 87
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

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.

Conditions

Neuromuscular Strength Training

Keywords

multiplanar, plyometric, neck strength

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Change in static neck strength as measured using a handheld dynamometer

  Multiplanar static neck strength

  Change from Baseline Static Neck Strength after 12 weeks of training

• Change in Dynamic neck strength

  Performance on the TopSpin360

  Change from Baseline Performance in Dynamic Neck Strength after12 weeks of training

• Change in 40 yard dash time

  time to sprint 40 yards

  Change from Baseline 40 yard dash time after 12 weeks of training

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Change in Neck girth

  Change in Neck Girth after 12 weeks of training

• Relationship between self-declared concussion history and static and neck strength

  As measured at Baseline

Study Arms (1)

multiplanar neuromuscular training arm

EXPERIMENTAL

The intervention arm will be involved in the training intervention outlined. Briefly, each participant will be asked to train on the TopSpin360 3 times per week for 3-5 sets for the duration of the study. Each set will take roughly 15-30 seconds to perform and training will take part during regularly scheduled training sessions.

Device: Multiplanar neuromuscular training

Interventions

Multiplanar neuromuscular training DEVICE

See arm description

Also known as: TopSpin360 training

multiplanar neuromuscular training arm

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Healthy adults on Western University's women's soccer and rugby teams

You may not qualify if:

• those who are not medically cleared to participate in out of season training, or anyone under the age of 18

Sponsors & Collaborators

• TopSpin Technologies Ltd: lead

Study Sites (1)

Western University

London, Ontario, N6A3K7, Canada

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Versteegh T, Beaudet D, Greenbaum M, Hellyer L, Tritton A, Walton D. Evaluating the reliability of a novel neck-strength assessment protocol for healthy adults using self-generated resistance with a hand-held dynamometer. Physiother Can. 2015 Winter;67(1):58-64. doi: 10.3138/ptc.2013-66.

  PMID: 25931654 BACKGROUND

• Tong HC, Haig AJ, Yamakawa K. The Spurling test and cervical radiculopathy. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2002 Jan 15;27(2):156-9. doi: 10.1097/00007632-200201150-00007.

  PMID: 11805661 BACKGROUND

Study Officials

• David M Walton, PhD

  Western University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 1
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: INDUSTRY
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: This project will recruit 60 healthy players from Western University's women's soccer and rugby teams. In addition to the team's standard out-of-season baseline testing, participants will have their height, weight, dynamic and static neck strength, neck circumference and 40-yard dash times assessed at baseline. Players will be invited to participate in a 12-week neuromuscular strength training program using the TopSpin360 neuromuscular neck training device. This program will be supervised by a member of the research team 3 days per week in addition to their out-of-season standard training program that does not currently include any exercise specific to the muscles of the neck. Upon completion of the 12 week TopSpin360 training program the study participants will have their weight, neck circumference, dynamic and static neck strength and 40-yard dash times re-assessed.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 12, 2019
• First Posted: February 18, 2019
• Study Start: March 1, 2019
• Primary Completion: June 30, 2023
• Study Completion: June 30, 2023
• Last Updated: May 14, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CA (1)