The Q-Collar: An Innovative Response to Brain Injuries in Soccer

Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injuries have been at the forefront of sports for years. Since players are spending more time on the pitch at younger ages, the concern for player safety is paramount.

The prevalence of brain injuries in sports has increased over the last decade. Up to 22% of soccer injuries are concussions, primarily from players using their heads to direct the ball during a game.

For example, some professional soccer players head the ball up to 12 times during a game. Extended over a season, that player will head the ball roughly 800 times in games. Add in practice sessions, the number of times the head strikes the ball is astounding. Repeated head contact accumulates over time and can reduce brain functioning in the long term.

This article is not meant to alarm parents and players or advocate withdrawal from sports. Soccer plays a vital role in children’s social, emotional, and physical development. This article aims to create awareness of the risks and propose potential solutions.

U.S. Soccer has implemented several strategies to increase player safety, such as the 2021 Concussion Substitution Rule, heading restrictions for youth players, and regulating ball pressure.

Even the sports medicine community has turned its attention to the effects of smaller, repeated head impacts.

An innovative company, Q30, based in Connecticut, has introduced a game-changing device that adds an extra level of protection against head injuries called the Q-Collar. The Q-Collar is a non-invasive device worn around the neck of athletes aged 13 years and older during sports activities to help protect the brain from repetitive sub-concussive head impacts.

The Q-Collar underwent rigorous testing in more than 25 studies with over 1000 participants. The research has consistently shown that the Q-Collar effectively helps protect athletes from the harmful effects of head-ball impacts.

On February 26th, 2021, Q30 received FDA clearance confirming both the Q-Collar’s safety and effectiveness. “FDA-Cleared” reflects the FDA’s highest level of review and authorization for novel Class 2 medical devices. The Q-Collar “provides an additional piece of protective equipment athletes can wear when playing sports to help protect their brains from repetitive head impacts.”

The Q-Collar applies light pressure to the jugular veins. This pressure slightly increases blood volume inside the head and helps reduce the brain’s movement upon impact, which is the primary cause of brain injury.

Several professional athletes currently use the Q-Collar, including Meghan Klingenberg and Emily Menges of the NWSL Portland Thorns, both major proponents of the device:

Klingenberg strongly endorses the Q-Collar:

“If there’s one thing that I could say to youth athletes, it’s that I wish I had this opportunity to wear a Q-Collar when I was your age… I’ve done a lot of headers and had a lot of elbows to the head that I wasn’t protected… I think that the Q-Collar is a game-changer for youth sports. Now you have the freedom to go out there and be you be exactly who you want to be on the field and off.”

Menges also advocates for the use of the Q-Collar for soccer players:

“Like all professional athletes, I definitely have concerns over head injuries… It was a little bit eye-opening about how much of a detriment it is so your entire life. When we do defending practices, we’re heading out of the box. I’m heading the ball multiple times a day, and now I can’t imagine doing one of those practices without the Q-Collar on. Once you pass that threshold of knowing what you’re doing to your head every time you head the ball, there’s absolutely no reason for you not to be wearing this.”

While injuries and concussions are impossible to eliminate on the pitch, utilizing effective equipment can drastically reduce the numbers and ease the minds of both players and parents. The Q-Collar’s added protection helps players enjoy the game and play their best on the pitch.

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