10/15/2025
๐ง Can You Prevent a Concussion?โจNot entirely โ but you can reduce your risk.
Concussions are complex brain injuries, and while no equipment or exercise can make you completely โconcussion-proof,โ research shows a few smart habits can lower the chances or reduce the severity of head impacts.
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1๏ธโฃ Wear a Mouth GuardโจWhile mouthguards donโt stop concussions completely, several studies show they can reduce the force transferred to the skull and brain during contact โ especially in sports like hockey, football, and rugby.โจA systematic review (Emery et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2017) found athletes who consistently wore mouthguards had a lower rate of concussion and dental injury compared to those who didnโt.
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2๏ธโฃ Perform a Neuromuscular Training (NMT) Warm-UpโจStructured warm-ups like FIFA 11+, Hockey Canadaโs NMT program, or tailored neck and balance drills improve neck strength, reaction time, and body control โ all factors that can help athletes better manage contact and falls.
โจStudies show NMT programs can reduce overall head and neck injury risk by up to 40โ50% in youth and high school sports (Herman et al., Sports Medicine, 2012; Emery et al., BJSM, 2015).
While we canโt eliminate concussion risk, consistent prevention strategies make a real difference.
๐ฉบ If your team or athlete wants to build a concussion prevention and performance plan, we can help.
โจ๐ Message us or head over to unboundphysicaltherapy.com for more info!