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Weight Machine Targets The Neck To Prevent Concussions

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - At Minnetonka High School on Friday, they held a concussions clinic for coaches, trainers and students.

The clinic was not about how to treat concussions, but how to prevent them.

A new type of weight machine aims to protect the head by strengthening neck muscles.

"This is all about preparing for the worst case scenario," Dr. Ralph Cromwell, the inventor of the machine, said.

Football is a game that must be played without fear, and a strong body helps protect just that.

"Only by changing the morphological structure of the neck can our natural organic mechanisms become better energy disipators, and if they do that, that means we're going to have less forces going to the brain," Mark Asanovitch, Minnetonka's strength coach said.

It's not a panacea, but it's another way to look at a critical issue and be proactive about preserving the game.

"There was a lot of skepticism initially, but now it's just like, 'Yeah,'" Cromwell said.

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