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WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT (September 15, 2021) — Q30 Innovations announced the U.S. launch of the Q-Collar, the first and only FDA-cleared product that helps protect the brain from the effects associated with repetitive sub-concussive head impacts. The device addresses a primary health concern in contact sports by providing an extra layer of protection for athletes of any contact sport.
The Q-Collar is intended to be worn around the neck with existing protective sports equipment. Designed for athletes aged 13 years and older, the Q-Collar is backed by years of research and FDA clearance, with more than 25 laboratory and clinical studies, on-field testing by more than 1,000 athletes, and hundreds of thousands of head impacts across sports including football, soccer and hockey. Research behind the Q-Collar has been conducted by leading medical institutions, including the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital and University of Toronto, and published in numerous peer-reviewed medical journals.
“Since 2012, we’ve worked with the leading medical, academic, engineering and design experts to develop a product that will help the next generation of athletes play safer and smarter,” said Tom Hoey, co-founder and co-CEO of Q30 Innovations. “Launching the Q-Collar in the U.S. is a major milestone moment for Q30 Innovations and the fight against brain injuries in sports, and we’re proud to make the Q-Collar available for athletes across North America.”
A team of medical experts from different specialties invented the Q-Collar after identifying the movement of the brain inside the skull, or “slosh,” as a key cause of structural changes to the brain. The Q-Collar uses jugular vein compression to slightly increase blood volume in the head, which reduces the movement of the brain that can cause injury. By creating a tighter fit for the brain inside the skull, the Q-Collar is safe and effective at helping to protect athletes’ brains from effects associated with repetitive sub-concussive head impacts.
“Over the past decade, coaches, athletes, parents and decision makers at every level of sport have been forced to reckon with a deeper understanding of the potential for both short- and long-term dangers of head injuries in sports,” said Julian Bailes, M.D., Chairman, Department of Neurosurgery, NorthShore University Health System; and Chief Medical Advisor for Q30 Innovations. “With the U.S. launch of the Q-Collar, athletes nationwide finally have access to a novel advancement in head injury protection that will enable them to play the sports they love with a greater degree of safety.”
The Q-Collar is recommended for athletes playing contact sports including, but not limited to, football, soccer, lacrosse and hockey. The Q-Collar comes in eight different sizes, correlating to different neck measurements, and is available for purchase for $199 (plus tax). Team discounts are available. For more information on the Q-Collar, including the science behind the technology, sizing guides and how to purchase, visit www.qcollar.com.
The Q-Collar was first commercially launched as a pilot in Canada in 2019 and is available to Canadian consumers at www.qcollar.ca.