It’s becoming a growing concern for many football players and their loved ones on the increasing evidence of neck and head injuries from the game. Even with helmets, concussions are still a problem. Scientists have examined ways to solve this problem for athletes and have perhaps found a solution in woodpeckers.
Woodpeckers are able to pound away at a tree up to 12,000 times a day during mating season while never acquiring any brain, skull, or neck injuries. Their heads act as a natural shock absorber. They also have long tongues that can pinch the jugular vein, providing extra pressure inside the brain, causing more pressure in the skull and protection for the brain. Scientists wanted to see if this could be imitated in humans.
Thus, the Q Collar was born. The Q Collar is a c shaped plastic device that goes around the neck to gently clamp the jugular vein to increase the amount of blood in the brain. This extra blood protects the brain like bubble wrap, making it safer for athletes to endure head on injuries.
The Q Collar is still in its experimental phase, but it has already provided much hope for professional and student athletes alike. The plastic collar is lightweight and easy to wear, and if it does well in its test studies, it could revolutionize the way we play sports.
