A
DEVICE CREATED TO REDUCE THE RISK OF CERVICAL SPINAL CORD INJURY IN SPORTS
AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES BY PREVENTING FORCED HYPERFLEXION OF THE NECK.
US Patent Pending # 60/517,361
Second only to motor vehicle accidents, athletic activities are the most common cause of cervical spine injuries. Such injuries can produce a broad spectrum of disabling conditions, from neck pain caused by tendinous or muscle damage to complete quadriplegia or death caused by spinal cord injury. Most neck and spinal cord injuries in organized sports and recreational play are caused by forces that thrust the neck into harmful, unnatural positions.
Over the years many devices have been created to protect the necks of sports players. Unfortunately the overwhelming majority, if not all of them, were designed for football or other highly specialized sports, such as car racing, where such devices need to be attached to specific body gear or equipment. This precludes their use in other activities, such as diving, skiing, snow boarding, gymnastics, wrestling, and polo, even though neck injuries are not uncommon in those sports. Furthermore, their design is usually so bulky, restrictive, and unaesthetic that even the most well-intentioned athlete would find it difficult to use them in sports other than football or similar contact sports.
Therefore the main purpose of the present invention is to provide the following:
-
A neck support that is elegant, sporty, and strong, yet lightweight,
comfortable, flexible, and universally applicable to all sports and
recreational activities.
- A
segmented pad system that intercepts the user’s chin at a predetermined
point to prevent the neck from flexing to dangerous levels, and which
utilizes normal bony structures of the shoulder complex as points of
support and shock absorption.
- A
neck protector that can be used alone or in conjunction with standard
protective gear.
- A neck protector that is easy to install and available in sizes suitable for adults, young athletes, and children, as well as in styles that provide additional protection to the neck against cuts and lacerations common in sports such as hockey and polo.
