The Role of Neck Function in Athlete Health and Performance: A Scoping Review Protocol

Incidence rates injuries among various athletic populations continue to rise, suggesting there are crucial elements missing from current identification and prevention efforts. Athletes perform dynamic, high-repetition movements through the kinetic chain that place substantial stress on structures of the body. The head and neck play a critical role in this kinetic chain. Receptors in the head and neck help the central nervous system create an internal representation of the body’s posture and spatial position. During athletic movements, the body rotates around a head that remains relatively stationary in space, allowing the eyes to stay fixed on the target. The inability to maintain focus on the target can alter an athlete’s movement pattern. For example, previous research has demonstrated disturbances in pitching techniques in one phase can cause the body to compensate further down in the chain which reduces efficient energy transfer and arm deceleration. While other studies have shown that perturbations of the head and neck can negatively affect whole body movements such as posture control and locomotion. Clarifying the contribution of head and neck function may enhance athletic performance and reduce injuries linked to mechanical stress arising from modifiable biomechanical factors. A scoping review is warranted to map the existing evidence, clarify how neck function has been studied in athletic contexts, and identify gaps that limit understanding of its biomechanical role.