Edited by Carolyn Kent Women’s Football Hub
Neck training isn’t usually the first thing players, coaches, or even clinicians think about when considering injury prevention in football. Strengthening the hamstrings? Absolutely. Core stability? Of course. ACL prevention warm‑ups? Standard procedure.
But ask most teams what they’re doing to train the neck and the room suddenly goes very quiet.
In a recent episode of the Women’s Football Hub podcast, host Carolyn Kent sat down with physiotherapist, researcher, and CTO of TopSpin Technologies, Dr. Theo Versteegh, to unpack exactly why this area has been overlooked for so long and why that needs to change.
Neck Training vs. Neck Strengthening: Why the Difference Matters
One of the biggest misconceptions in sport science is the idea that neck strengthening and neck training are the same thing. According to Versteegh, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Traditional strengthening think pushing against a resistance band or using a four‑way neck machine might build muscle bulk, but it doesn’t teach the neck how to function in the real world, especially not on a football pitch. The neck’s primary job is to keep the head stable and the eyes level, which is essential for orientation, balance, and reacting to unpredictable forces.
But here’s the problem:
Strengthening alone may actually make proprioception worse.
Versteegh highlighted research showing that people who completed only basic strengthening exercises actually worsened their joint position sense by 35%, meaning they became less aware of where their head was in space. For athletes who rely on quick decisions, sharp scanning, and accurate heading mechanics, this is a major concern.
Why the Neck Matters More in Women’s Football
We often hear about women being at higher risk for ACL injuries and research now also confirms a higher risk of concussion in women’s football compared to men’s. But what’s less commonly discussed is why this difference exists.
Versteegh explained that in sex‑comparable sports, women tend to have significantly lower neck strength than men typically around 1.8 times weaker. And coincidentally, women also experience concussions at roughly 1.8 times the rate.
Of course, neck strength isn’t the whole story. It’s about neck function the combination of proprioception, neuromuscular control, and the ability to dynamically stabilise the head during complex movements. This becomes even more relevant when we talk about heading technique.
Many female players demonstrate what Carolyn calls the “turtle,” lifting their shoulders towards their ears in an attempt to brace for the impact of the ball. It looks uncomfortable and inefficient and it is. But, as Versteegh explained, it’s not just a coaching issue it’s a stability issue. When athletes don’t feel stable, they naturally brace with whatever they can, including the upper traps.
Before fixing technique, we must fix capability.
Scanning, Decision‑Making, and the Hidden Cost of Neck Dysfunction
In modern football, the best players scan almost twice as often as the average player. But that scanning comes with a cost:
every time a player rotates their head, their body must rapidly recalibrate its perception of position and balance.
For players with even mild deficits in neck proprioception, this recalibration takes longer. They may lose track of the ball, react more slowly, or struggle to position themselves effectively. Versteegh noted that some players cannot increase their scanning frequency because their physiology simply won’t allow it. Their neck system can’t keep up.
This means the difference between an elite scanner and an average one isn’t just cognitive it’s anatomical and neuromuscular.
Are We Rehabilitating the Neck the Wrong Way?
Many clinicians rely on deep neck flexor endurance tests or endurance‑based exercises, assuming they translate to performance and protection. But Versteegh was clear:
Endurance is not strength. Strength is not power. Power is not neuromuscular control.
A 20‑second isometric hold won’t prepare an athlete for a 0.2‑second reactive contraction during a header, collision, or whiplash motion. We would never rehabilitate a knee or ankle with stretching and isometric holds alone, so why do we treat the neck differently?
This mismatch between the demands of sport and the way we train the neck is part of why re‑injury and lingering symptoms remain so common.
The TopSpin 360: A Game‑Changing Approach to Neck Function
To address this gap, Versteegh developed the TopSpin 360, a dynamic training device that looks, as Carolyn joked, “absolutely absurd” but works brilliantly.
The player wears a helmet with a centrally mounted axis and weighted arm. By generating rotational force (like spinning a hula hoop around the head), the device creates a true multiplanar challenge. The faster the spin, the more centripetal force is generated and the harder the neck must work to stabilise.
This isn’t about brute strength. It’s about:
- Dynamic multi‑directional control
- Proprioceptive accuracy
- Rate of force development
- Stabilising the eyes and head under unpredictable load
And the research is compelling.
In one university women’s soccer team:
- Static neck strength improved by 17%
- Dynamic neck strength improved by 106%
- The team had a zero‑concussion season (small sample, but encouraging)
In another study, players with prior concussions had dramatically lower dynamic strength scores than those without suggesting this metric may help identify at‑risk athletes.
Early clinical work using the TopSpin 360 for persistent post‑concussion symptoms also showed over 70% reduction in symptom severity after 8 weeks compared to a 10% increase in control participants.
What Can Coaches Do Right Now Without Equipment?
Not every team has access to specialist tools but Versteegh was clear that there are still meaningful steps coaches can take.
1. Start Using the Versteegh Roll and Tuck (VRT)
This simple, two‑minute exercise can easily be added to the FIFA 11+ warm‑up. It incorporates rotation, proprioception, and dynamic head control.
2. Objective Measurement Matters
Even using a smartphone compass or simple range‑of‑motion app can provide more reliable data than subjective assessments.
3. Don’t Ignore Previous Concussions
A history of concussion remains the strongest predictor of future concussions and head/neck injury.
4. Build Capability Before Technique
If a player’s heading mechanics look fearful or unstable, their body is telling you something. Train their neck function before demanding perfect heading form.
The Future of Neck Training in Women’s Football
As the women’s game continues to grow, the need for evidence‑based, sport‑specific training becomes ever more important. Neck function is not a fringe topic it’s central to injury prevention, performance, scanning quality, heading, and player confidence.
From youth academies to elite teams, integrating neck training into regular warm‑ups and rehabilitation could fundamentally improve player welfare and performance.
This blog was created from the podcast with the assistance of AI, then fully checked and edited by the podcast host
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