Concussion and the neck: Part 2 - Measuring what matters (function, not just feelings)

When working with patients, having clear and measurable data is important. Yet, when it comes to the neck, a complex and sensitive area, current standards rely on methods like eyeballing how far the neck moves or asking, “How is your neck feeling today?”

We want to update that.

NeckCare Assessment Device

What Is NeckCare?

We utilize NeckCare, a modern device that measures three necessary functions: neck movement, position awareness (called proprioception), and co-ordination between your eyes, vestibular system, and neck (called sensorimotor control).

Using a small Bluetooth sensor, we can gain real-time information about how your neck performs. This isn’t just about collecting numbers. It’s about improving how we understand and treat troubling neck problems.

NeckCare helps us dive deeper. It changes the focus from “Are you still in pain?” to “How well is your neck performing?”

For patients, this means more than just feeling better. It means:

• Tracking your real progress over time

• Understanding where your function is limited—and how it improves

• Creating clear reports to share with other healthcare providers, insurance companies, or legal teams (especially after motor vehicle collisions)

• Getting your neck working well again—so you can return to the activities you love

Who Can Benefit from NeckCare?

NeckCare is especially helpful for people who have:

• Chronic or repeating neck pain

• Injuries from motor vehicle collisions or whiplash

• Concussions or post-concussion symptoms

• Dizziness

• Headaches that come from neck problems (cervicogenic headaches)

What Tests Are Included?

1. Range of Motion

NeckCare removes the guesswork. It gives accurate measurements in degrees and compares results to what’s normal for your age and sex.

The sensor tracks movement in all directions: forward, backward, turning, and side-to-side.

NeckCare doesn’t just show how far you can move. It also shows how well you can move. It can detect if you’re compensating by bending your neck to the side during rotation tests.

2. Proprioception Test – Joint Position Error (JPE)

This test examines if you can tell where your head is in space, an important aspect of balance and coordination.

Similar to target practice, the test sees how well you can return to a straight head position (middle of the target) after moving your head side to side and up and down. The catch? The test is performed with your eyes closed.

Proprioception can be decreased from injuries, pain, inflammation, or stress. The good news is we can improve proprioception with appropriate exercises.

3. Sensorimotor Control – The Butterfly Test

This is a unique challenge that checks how well your eyes, vestibular system, and neck work together.

Think of these three areas like musicians in a band. If one is ‘off’, the whole song sounds wrong. When these three systems don’t work together, you too may feel ‘off’.

During the Butterfly Test, the goal is to accurately trace a moving target on a screen using your head and neck. The path and speed of the target changes at random intervals, so you can’t cheat the test.

The Butterfly Test is not only an assessment tool, but also a training tool. There are three levels: easy, medium, and hard.

Injured patient displaying sensorimotor challenges during the Butterfly Test

Healthy individual displaying good sensorimotor control on the Butterfly Test.

 How Does this Differ from an X-ray?

An X-ray gives you a still image of your neck at rest. It can suggest changes that have occurred to your bones or joints, but can’t tell us much about your movement, coordination, or function. It’s like taking a picture of someone standing still. Sure, you can see what they look like, but you don’t know who they are, what they like, or how they feel.

NeckCare fills that gap.

It gives us layers of details for how your neck actually works. We can track progress from session to session and relay that information to you keeping you involved in your care.

Why NeckCare Matters

Often, when patients arrive, their primary goal is pain relief. However, pain can often be a bi-product of faulty function. NeckCare empowers us to:

• Move beyond pain as the only benchmark

• Build precise treatment plans

• Improve communication with other healthcare providers

• Show patients how far they’ve come and how far they can still go

In Summary

NeckCare is more than just a tool. It’s a game-changer in how we assess, treat, and think about the neck problems. It helps us ask better questions, get clearer answers, and deliver next-level care focused on long-term function and resilience.

So, the next time someone asks, “How is your neck feeling today?”—you can reply with more than just words. You’ll have data. And that updates everything.