Having an understanding of injury prevalence is of great importance to athletes and coaches, as well as medical and performance specialists working with those particular sports. This study contributed to the growing body of combat sports injury prevalence literature through a questionnaire based study of injury rates in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). A 67-question …
Several objective physical performance tests specific to individual combat sports have been described in the literature and used in practice over the last 5 years. The Jiu Jitsu Anaerobic Performance Test (JJAPT) was described by Villar in 2018, however the study to assess its reliability was performed on a relatively small sample size. The aim …
BRIEF REVIEW: VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF THE JIU JITSU ANAEROBIC PERFORMANCE TEST Read More »
For my last podcast of the year I have the pleasure of interviewing childhood karate hero turned fellow fitness entrepreneur We chat about his incredible journey through the kyokushin uchi deshi program to becoming the Japanese K1 champion and a household name in Japan. Click on the links below or search “Tokyo Living” on itunes, …
Tokyo Living Podcast Episode 39 – Nicholas Pettas Read More »
Given the footwork and movement-related demands, as well as the abundance of lower body techniques used, the prevalence of lower limb injury in taekwondo (TKD) is thought to be high. This descriptive analysis sought to investigate the prevalence and nature of ankle and foot injuries in TKD athletes. TKD athletes from the German Olympic training …
The Impact Monitoring Mouthguard (IMM) is a wearable device used to measure head trauma during combat via linear and angulation kinematic recording via 4 accelerometers, each transmitting 3 channels of data. This study used the above-mentioned device to quantify and compare head impacts between boxing and MMA training and competition. 23 participants (19M/4F) …
BRIEF REVIEW – HEAD IMPACT COMPARISON:MMA AND BOXING Read More »
Weight cutting, and the associated risks and advantages/disadvantages is a topic of great focus in the combat sports world. Most combat sports athletes will engage in rapid weight loss (RWL) prior to weigh-in, followed by rapid weight gain (RWG) leading up to the scheduled bout. The health risks associated with these practices have been …
BRIEF REVIEW: RAPID WEIGHT LOSS/RAPID WEIGHT GAIN AND MMA PERFORMANCE Read More »
Hip pain is common in many sports, including field-based sports that involve rotation. Given the kicking demands of martial arts such as karate, hip pain is thought to be of high prevalence. This study used an American midwestern statewide survey of 180 (112M/66F) karate athletes of different levels. 54 athletes (30.5%) had experienced …
The knee is a common site of injury in many sports, including combat sports. Due to the direct stress to knee structures during submission attempts, the prevalence of knee injury in Brazilian JiuJitsu (BJJ) is thought to be high. This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of knee injuries in BJJ and compare this …
BRIEF REVIEW: PREVALENCE OF KNEE INJURIES IN BJJ Read More »
Cutting weight safely is a critical element of performance and health in combat sports. It is often thought that athletes who are better educated in the science and practice are both able to cut weight more safely and with less impact on their performance, and also keep their weight closer to the division limits and …
BRIEF REVIEW: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NUTRITION EDUCATION AND RAPID WEIGHT LOSS Read More »
When we analyse the kinetic chain motion of the punch, there is an obvious contribution from the rotation of the hips and trunk. More proficient punchers tend to have superior utilization of these rotational elements, as the greater movement that occurs allows for greater force production and also allows the athlete to function more within …
THE IMPORTANCE OF TRANSVERSE PLANE MOBILITY IN ROTATIONAL SPORTS Read More »
Most individuals, be they athletes or general population patients, understand that exercise is the most important factor in the rehabilitation of most musculoskeletal disorders. However, different types of exercises serve different purposes in the rehabilitation process, and we as health care providers (myself included) often fail to fully explain these purposes. Within our model, …
REHABILITATIVE EXERCISE: WHAT ARE WE ACTUALLY TRYING TO ACHIEVE Read More »
In any competitive activity, an athlete must have an optimal level of psychological arousal to facilitate ideal performance. It is thought that higher anxiety and harm avoidance is associated with poorer performance in combat sports. It is also thought that certain genetic psychological traits, in particular the behavioural response to stress, are associated with greater …
BRIEF REVIEW: OPTIMAL AROUSAL FOR FIGHT PERFORMANCE Read More »
A history of sports-related head trauma may be associated with long-term neurological deficits. As such, methods to monitor certain aspects of neurological function in combat athletes could provide useful information and optimise the integration of protective strategies. This was another great study from @ ‘s group out of Victoria University in British Columbia. 67 …
BRIEF REVIEW: LONG-TERM HEAD IMPACT – EFFECT ON BALANCE Read More »
As striking power is a key characteristic for success in combat sports involving striking, measurement of this quality is useful for assessing the outcome of training interventions. The authors of this paper conducted a review of the current literature pertaining to assessment of punching force. 9 papers between 2000 and 2021 were included in the …
BRIEF REVIEW: METHODS OF MEASURING PUNCHING POWER Read More »
Maximising punching power is a major goal of striking combat athletes, and as such, optimising training methods to achieve this goal is critically important. Performing resistance training at optimal power loads (the load that maximizes power output) has been shown to improve punching power in previous longitudinal studies. However, the results of these studies may …
OPTIMAL RESISTANCE TRAINING LOAD FOR PUNCHING POWER Read More »
Rule changes are periodically made in sports, often to reduce the incidence of injury or make the sport more spectator-friendly. From a sports performance perspective, it is important to understand the changes in physiological demands that may occur secondary to a rule change. In 2017, several rule changes were made by World Taekwondo, including raising …
PHYSIOLOGICAL DEMANDS FOLLOWING TKD RULE CHANGES Read More »
Having an understanding of injury epidemiology in a specific sport is important for athletes, coaches and medical professionals. The authors of this paper conducted a systematic review and meta analysis of the rates and nature of injuries in competitive judoka. Due to the diverse nature of the studies and the types of injuries included, it …
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is a sport that relies heavily on both aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. Having population-specific data in terms of athletic performance variables can aid in designing and implementing sports performance programs. 12 BJJ athletes (including national and international level competitors) were assessed using: Squat jump, countermovement jump, plyometric push up Lower …
BRIEF REVIEW: AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC PERFORMANCE IN BJJ Read More »
Analysis of physiological responses during actual competition provide a more accurate representation of the demands of the sport, and as such are more useful in guiding training interventions. This study measured the heart rate and lactate concentration of 15 international-level athletes during 3x2min kickboxing bouts conducted under K1 rules. A technical analysis of each match …
BRIEF REVIEW: PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES AND BOUT ANALYSIS IN KICKBOXERS Read More »
The average reaction time of combat athletes is >500ms, which is much slower than the speed of a punch (200s) or kick (260s). Because of this, athletes must rely on detection of initiation signals in order to defend or counter attack. These early cues are also known as “telegraphs” (TGs). It is also known that …
BRIEF REVIEW: TELEGRAPHING OF KICKING TECHNIQUES Read More »
There has been a rapid increase in the number of combat sports-specific fitness tests being assessed in research environments and utilised in the field. This should in theory lead to more accurate assessment of sports-specific performance and optimised program design. The researchers in this study sought to investigate the validity of a taekwondo (TKD)-specific cardiopulmonary …
Eye injuries are a common occurrence in mixed martial arts (MMA) due to the frequency and diversity of head attacks, the size of the gloves used, and the fact that the fingers are uncovered, leading to the potential for illegal eye pokes. This study sought to investigate the occurrence and characteristics of eye injuries in …
The environment within which an athletic event takes place can influence the physiological and psychological response of competitors, therefore influencing performance. Changes in competition area may force technical and tactical changes, therefore increasing or decreasing output and effort, and may also change perceived pressure. This study assessed the rate of perceived exertion (RPE), heart rate …
BRIEF REVIEW: THE EFFECT OF JUDO COMPETITION AREA ON PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE Read More »
Boxing is characterized by repeated head contact, and participation results in increased risk of head and brain injury. The occurrence of these injuries is correlated with the number of punches received to the head during training and competition. Furthermore, the number of hits received to the head during competition negatively impacts judging criteria and therefore …
BRIEF REVIEW: THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN BOXING-RELATED HEAD INJURY PREVENTION Read More »
Rapid weight loss (RWL) is commonplace in most combat sports in order to gain a perceived competitive advantage over opponents. Despite this, strong concerns remain regarding the safety for athletes undergoing this process. As the main mechanism of rapid weight loss is dehydration, it makes sense that the kidneys are placed under a significant degree …
As with most orthopedic conditions, the rehab process involves settling the area down, then building back up. So once symptoms have settled, we need to reintroduce painful movements gradually, being guided by pain response after training. With our resistance training, we want to ensure that we have an adequate balance between pushing and pulling exercises. …
Acute management of AC joint pain resolves around relative deloading. This may be in the form of decreased training volume and/or intensity, or training modification. Athletes may need to avoid techniques/angles that cause the greatest aggravation. Body shots (where the arm is at a lower height than the shoulder upon impact), and hooks in particular …
ACROMIOCLAVICULAR JOINT PART 2 – Pain management Read More »
The acromioclavicular joint (where the acromion, the tip of the shoulder blade (scapula) articulates with the collarbone) is a common area of pain in the sporting population. The AC joint consists of 3 ligaments; the inferior and superior acromioclavicular (AC) ligaments, and the coracoacromial (CC) ligament (which consists of the conoid and trapezoid ligaments). The …
This last post in the series will discuss indirect, systemic load, and like direct systemic load, will separate this into physiological and psychological. PHYSIOLOGICAL The factors we consider this bucket are sleep and nutrition. If a fighter lacks sleep, they will be under-recovered, have reduced capacity to tolerate training loads, and at a higher chance …
The last two posts discussed tissue-specific load. This post will discuss direct systemic load, and we will break this into physiological and psychological. PHYSIOLOGICAL We’ve discussed previously how training load can cause overuse in the injured tissue and lead to pain. However, a rapid increase in overall training load may also lead to injury in …
In the last post we discussed the impact of direct tissue specific load on back pain. In this post we discuss indirect tissue-specific load, which basically refers to biomechanics, technique and equipment. BIOMECHANICS In this context, we use the term biomechanics to describe the movements at joints and the force produced by muscles around the …
In the first post we discussed how different types of load can contribute to an athlete’s back pain. In this post we will discuss the first of these, direct, tissue-specific load. Tissue-specific load essentially refers to the actual tissue that has been identified or hypothesised as the origin of the pain. In some areas of …
Low back pain (LBP) is the most common orthopedic complaint in general practice and is also extremely common in sporting populations, including combat sports athletes. There are countless methods of treating LBP described in the research, clinical practice environments, and lay media. We approach the treatment of LBP, as with any musculoskeletal issue, with an …
Biopsychosocial Approach to Managing Back Pain in Combat Athletes – Part 1 Read More »
When considering the greater purpose of the training process, we should be aiming to make sustainable, long-term improvements over the lifespan of the individual athlete. Because of this, the training stimulus needs to be appropriate for their chronological age and training age. When we are working with a relative novice athlete, we want to use …
MINIMUM EFFECTIVE DOSE vs MAXIMUM RECOVERABLE VOLUME Read More »
Let another reason to encourage martial arts participation in children! Bone density and bone strength is a critical component of musculoskeletal health, and becomes increasingly important as we age. We know that activity, and in particular high intensity weight-bearing activity such as jumping, has a positive impact on bone density, and that the window for …
I am a big fan of the cross education effect, and use it often in the rehabilitation setting. Past research has shown that resistance training on one limb may enhance strength levels on the other, and that when the other limb is immobilized (which would usually lead to a decrease in strength and muscle mass), …
Russian sambo was the official sport of the USSR prior to 1940, and has produced a long list of high-level mixed martial arts performers, none more notable than current UFC P4P king Khabib Nurmegomedov. This was the first study to date looking at rapid weight loss (RWL) practices specifically in sambo athletes, and was based …
Head injuries are arguably the most serious injuries in mixed martial arts (MMA). Recurrent head trauma is thought to be associated with an increased risk of the development of neurodegenerative disease, and is the primary cause of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). As MMA as a sport is still in its relative infancy, research into long-term …
Weight cutting in combat sports, including mixed martial arts (MMA), is a huge issue of debate due to the health risks to the athletes undergoing this practice. In 2016 the California state athletic commission changed their weigh-in process to allow athletes to weigh in 30 hours prior to their bout, rather than the customary 24 …
Caffeine supplementation has been shown to be effective in improving performance in strength, endurance and repeat high-intensity exercise. Although the use of caffeine supplementation in combat sports has increased since it was removed from the WADA prohibited substance list, the effects of caffeine specific to combat sports have yet to be investigated. Caffeine is thought …
When athletes present to us with orthopedic-related pain, it is our duty to provide them with the most thorough and appropriate explanation of their problem, in order to facilitate the optimal management plan. Part of this involves providing a working diagnosis with which to classify the problem, base our interventions, and effectively communicate with other …
Many individuals use the early part of the year to set goals for the year ahead. The goal setting process can be conducted in a number of different ways. A recent study looked to assess the effect of different types of goal setting on desired outcomes. ⅔ of the goals were related to health, fitness, …
In 2013 the international boxing association (AIBA) prohibited the use of headguards for male olympic boxing competitions, claiming that the use of headguards promoted a false sense of security and risk taking behaviour, and may actually lead to greater head injuries. However, there is still the possibility that headguards decrease direct impact and help protect …
Combat sports such as MMA, boxing, and other striking sports involve a high incidence of traumatic impact to the head, which can result in acute alteration in function, as well as the possibility of long-term negative sequelae. Altered vestibular function is thought to be a common factor in the symptoms of acute concussion. The vestibular …
ALTERED VESTIBULAR FUNCTION IN COMBAT SPORTS ATHLETES Read More »
Preparedness for sport depends on a number of different cognitive factors, and it is believed that the manifestations of athlete’s readiness for sport may be different among athletes from different combat sports backgrounds. This study sought to identify links between neurodynamic and cognitive functions among athletes practicing different martial arts. 28 wrestlers, 34 judokas, and …
BRIEF REVIEW: COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN DIFFERENT COMBAT SPORTS ATHLETES Read More »
Elite athletes often have to travel long distances to compete, and many times have to perform with little time to recover. This review looked at the research regarding the effect of long haul travel on athletic performance. 14 studies were identified relating to soccer, skeleton, gymnastics, wheelchair basketball, rugby league and rowing, and assessed psychometric …
BRIEF REVIEW: The Effect of Long Haul Travel on Athletic Performance Read More »
Judo is a martial art/sport consisting of repeated bursts of high-intensity effort over a relatively short (4 min) period of time (more in the case of an extension). As such, improvements in muscular strength and power are likely to improve judo performance. Many different types of physical preparation programs have been used to improve performance …
BRIEF REVIEW: STRENGTH TRAINING FOR JUNIOR JUDO ATHLETES Read More »
Joint lock submissions and strangulations/chokes account for a large number of finishes in mixed martial arts (MMA). The percentage of UFC matches ending in submission between 1993 and 2002 was 30%. This study aimed to review the statistics from recent MMA events. The fight outcomes from a total of 1903 bouts from 167 UFC events …
Both pre-conditioning and recovery strategies are frequently utilised by athletes from a large range of sports, however minimal research exists in terms of their prevalence amongst boxers. The authors of this paper administered a questionnaire to 101 boxers of 2 different levels (senior elite and senior development) regarding their pre-conditioning and recovery habits. Pre-competition priming …
Amateur boxing events, like other martial arts events, are often conducted over the course of several days, with weigh-ins being conducted on each day of competition. For optimal outcome within the event, it is important that athlete performance is maintained throughout this time. This study assessed power-related measures of 14 (8 male/6 female) Brazilian international …
BRIEF REVIEW: BOXING PERFORMANCE OVER A 4-DAY TOURNAMENT Read More »
The NCAA instigated the wrestling weight management program (WMP) in 1998 in response to the deaths of 3 collegiate wrestlers. Under this program, athletes are permitted to lose a maximum weight of 1.5% off-season body mass per week. There have been concerns over the intertester reliability, measurement validity and appropriateness of the prediction equations. This …
Techniques aimed at rendering an opponent unconscious due to restriction of blood flow to the brain, are commonly utilised in mixed martial arts (MMA) competition. These techniques are commonly described as “chokes”, but are more technically “strangulations”. A knowledge of these techniques is important for both athletes and coaches, as well as medical professionals working …
Given that most combat athletes compete in weight divisions and are often forced to adjust dietary habits in order to make weight, the risk of developing disordered eating behaviours is elevated. This study sought to identify trends between sport-specific self-confidence, pre-competition weight loss, and disordered eating. Elite and sub-elite MMA (n=47) and BJJ (n=64) …
SHORT REVIEW: DISORDERED EATING IN COMBAT SPORTS ATHLETES Read More »
Concussions are a major issue within combat sports and can lead to serious and long-term negative health consequences. Within many combat sports, a bout may be stopped due to a TKO, where the athlete is determined to not be in a position to safely defend themself, or at risk of harm should the bout continue. …
BRIEF REVIEW: RECOGNITION OF CONCUSSION IN COMBAT SPORTS Read More »
Concussion is common in contact sports, especially combat sports, and can result in an increased risk of musculoskeletal injury, as well as further concussion. The latter can have serious consequences. Whilst concussions typically resolve in 1-2 weeks, in some instances symptoms can persist for much longer (Post Concussion Syndrome), in which case secondary effects …
A knowledge of injury epidemiology in specific sporting populations is important in understanding injury risk and instigating preventative measures. Injury rates from the last 3 summer olympic games (Beijing, 2008, London, 2012, and Rio De Janeiro, 2016) were compiled for boxing, wrestling, judo and taekwondo. The data was collected using the IOC injury & …
BRIEF REVIEW: Injury rates in olympic combat sports Read More »
Language has been a major focus in recent times in regards to chronic pain management, however its relevance to acute injuries is often under appreciated. This editorial proposes 8 recommendations in terms of language used in the case of acute injury. In the absence of trauma, do not assume that pain indicates tissue damage …
BRIEF REVIEW: THE IMPORTANCE OF LANGUAGE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE INJURIES Read More »
The sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) requires both fast, explosive actions, as well as maximal force contractions, often at ends of ranges. An imbalance between elbow flexor and extensor strength may predispose the athlete injury in this area, due to reduced joint stability. In this study, 23 male BJJ athletes first underwent strength …
BRIEF REVIEW: ELBOW MUSCLE IMBALANCE IN BJJ ATHLETES Read More »
As Taekwondo (TKD) competition is primarily composed of a succession of short-duration, high-intensity interactions, it is important for tests designed to measure the repeat effort ability of its athletes to assess these characteristics. Previous TKD-specific tests, such as the Frequency Speed of Kick Test (FSKT) have used metrics such as the total number of …
BRIEF REVIEW: A Novel Test for Assessing Kick Capacity in Taekwondo Read More »
WHAT IS “ANIMAL CONTEST THEORY”? Animal contest theory assumes that animals possess accurate information about their own fighting ability or resource-holding potential (RHP) and, under some models, that of their opponent. In the animal model, defeat is often indicated when one animal surrenders and retreats. RHP may also be applied to humans, and in a …
THE PUNCHER’S CHANCE In combat sports, the puncher’s chance refers to the scenario whereby a combatant who is thought to be inferior in ability prior to a bout, or who is being outclassed during a bout, still has the ability to win the bout via KO or TKO. Researchers in Australia analysed the statistics …
BRIEF REVIEW: What are the odds of the “puncher’s chance” Read More »
Due to the repeat high intensity burst nature of combat sports, they are highly reliant on glycolytic mechanisms for energy production. Glycolysis results in intramuscular H+, which needs to be buffered via intracellular (phosphates, carnosine) and extracellular (bicarbonate) buffers and a dynamic buffering system. Supplementary Sodium Bicarbonate and Beta Alanine have both been shown to …
BRIEF REVIEW: Beta-alanine and sodium bicarbonate supplementation in combat sports Read More »
Within the process of rapid weight loss (RWL)/rapid weight gain (RWG) to make weight for combat sports, there is always a trade-off between the advantages of being heavier than the opponent, and the disadvantages of impaired performance and potentially serious negative side effects. 21 competitive male (16) and female (5) Italian Muay Thai athletes underwent …
Physical preparation for any sport requires a thorough understanding of the specific physical demands and dominant energy systems. BJJ is a sport consisting of repeated, intermittent, high-energy bursts of activity, and as such, requires contribution from all energy systems. This study sought to investigate the relative energy systems contribution using a sample of 10 male …
Concussion is an extremely prevalent condition in contact sports and is one with potentially serious long-term consequences. In other sports where concussion has been identified as a major issue, such as American Football, head kinematics has been studied with the use of helmet-based accelerometry. An alternative for measuring head impact in MMA athletes, who do …
Brief Review: Mouthguard Measurement of Head Impact in MMA Read More »
Previous studies have shown correlations between lower limb force and power outputs, and punching speed and power in individual strikes from a static position. This study sought to investigate whether such correlations exist with punches thrown in combination, and also with punches thrown from more dynamic, fight-specific positions. 10 national-level male Italian karate athletes underwent …
Lower Limb Power is Correlated with Punching Speed in Karateka Read More »
Changing the spatial characteristics of a sporting environment may change the demands on the athlete, and potentially influence the outcome of the competition. Specific reduced competition size training drills (i.e. small-sided games in soccer) have long been utilized as a training means in other sports. Researchers in Italy compared the physiological (heart rate, blood lactate) …
Affect of Training Area and Sparring Partners in Taekwondo Read More »
Grip strength is an important physical characteristic of successful grappling athletes from all disciplines, with higher handgrip measurements seen in high-level, compared to lower-level athletes in BJJ, judo and wrestling. Furthermore, grip strength may also be seen as an important factor in injury reduction in these sports. The high-intensity nature of gripping actions in grappling …
Grip strength was discussed in part 11, and if there are deficiencies here then they should be addressed. The power grip can be trained with a simple gripper, and if an adjustable gripper is available, this can allow for a more incremental progression of load. Using a thicker grip, such as a towel, or a …
Another useful test for wrist and hand injuries is a measurement of load tolerance. In the general population we typically measure the load taken through the palm, however with combat athletes, we also need to measure the amount of pressure tolerated through a fist. A simple, low-tech way of assessing this is with the use …
COMMON HAND AND WRIST INJURIES IN STRIKING SPORTS – PART 12 – Load Tolerance Assessment Read More »
Grip strength is an important functional measure in both diagnosis and evaluation of progress. A 10% difference in grip strength between sides is within the limits of normal, however more than a 20% difference between sides may indicate either a strength deficiency that could have contributed to the development of the injury, or more commonly …
COMMON HAND AND WRIST INJURIES IN STRIKING SPORTS – PART 11 – Grip Assessment Read More »
Special tests for hand and wrist injuries will be specific to the injured area. However all hand and wrist injuries will likely require assessment of range of motion. One of the common methods of measuring joint range of motion is with the use of a goniometer. However, whilst this may be optimal for larger joints …
COMMON HAND AND WRIST INJURIES IN STRIKING SPORTS – PART 10 – Wrist ROM assessment Read More »
While the management of hand and wrist injuries will depend on the specific injury, there are some basic management principles that will apply to most cases. The first is one of specific load management. Most injuries will require a degree of off-loading/de-loading. For fractures, this de-loading will be in the form of immobilisation and often …
Dislocation of the proximal interphalangeal joint (closest joint of the finger) is also very common. Dorsal (to the back) dislocation may lead to volar plate and ligament damage, and therefore requires proper diagnosis and follow up. If the dislocation is stable, only buddy taping (where the 2 fingers are taped together) is required, followed by …
COMMON HAND AND WRIST INJURIES IN STRIKING SPORTS – PART 9 – Finger Dislocations Read More »
Fractures of the fingers are more common in combat sports where a full boxing glove is not worn (karate, taekwondo, MMA, etc.) and are also common in grappling. The type of management will depend on the location of the fracture. Fractures of the proximal and middle phalanges (the closest and middle bones of the finger) …
COMMON HAND AND WRIST INJURIES IN STRIKING SPORTS – PART 8 – Finger Fractures Read More »
The triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) consists of a cartilaginous disc that lies between the ulnar and the triquetrum and lunate bones, the ulnar meniscus, the sheath of the extensor carpi ulnaris (one of the muscles responsible for extending and ulnar deviating the wrist), and several ligaments of the wrist and hand. The complex is loaded …
COMMON HAND AND WRIST INJURIES IN STRIKING SPORTS – PART 7 – TFCC injury Read More »
A common joint injury observed in boxing is a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (ULC) of the 1st ray metacarpophalangeal joint, the ligament that lies on the inside of the thumb (1). This ligament is often damaged when the thumb is caught and bent back during punching or defending. This is commonly referred …
COMMON HAND AND WRIST INJURIES IN STRIKING SPORTS – PART 6 – Thumb ligament injury Read More »
A Bennett’s fracture refers to a fracture of the base of the 1st metacarpal, the long bone that articulates with the thumb. As this is an intra-articular (occurring within the joint capsule), the injury often involves damage to the structures around the adjacent joint and the adjacent bone (the trapezium) (1). This injury typically occurs …
COMMON HAND AND WRIST INJURIES IN STRIKING SPORTS – PART 5 – Bennett’s Fracture Read More »
COMMON HAND AND WRIST INJURIES IN STRIKING SPORTS – PART 4 – Carpal Bossing Carpal bossing refers to disruption of the carpometacarpal joint (the joints between the second row of wrist bones and the long bones in the hand). This injury is typically caused by axial loading of the metacarpal bones. The joints of the …
The boxer’s fracture is a fracture of the 5th metatarsal (little finger side). As this is obviously not the target area of contact with a punch, this injury is often caused by suboptimal punching technique. In a typical punch, the knuckles of the 2nd and 3rd rays should make contact, allowing for a smooth transfer …
COMMON HAND AND WRIST INJURIES IN STRIKING SPORTS – PART 3 – The Boxer’s Fracture Read More »
The boxer’s knuckle refers to an injury to the extensor mechanism of the fingers (the musculo-tendinous unit that allows the finger to extend) and is one of the more serious musculoskeletal injuries in boxing. During a punch, the metacarpophalangeal joint (the joint of the knuckle) is rapidly forced into flexion, stretching the surrounding soft tissue …
COMMON HAND AND WRIST INJURIES IN STRIKING SPORTS – PART 2 – The Boxer’s Knuckle Read More »
Due to the frequency of hand contact, the impact with which this contact occurs and the complexity of the region, injuries to the hand and wrist are by far the most documented injuries in striking combat athletes. The impact related to punching results in a positive remodelling of bone and soft tissue over time, causing …
COMMON HAND AND WRIST INJURIES IN STRIKING SPORTS – PART 1 Read More »
The force with which an upper limb striking technique such as a punch is delivered with is a major determinant of the impact of the strike and its potential for damage and effectiveness. Previous research has shown greater levels of mean and maximum punching force in winning vs. losing boxing contestants. A great variety of …
BRIEF REVIEW: FORCE AND VELOCITY OF UPPER LIMB STRIKES Read More »
Combative choking techniques (more accurately described as strangulations) are commonly used techniques in a wide range of combat sports and arts, as well as in law enforcement. The goal of a strangulation is to cause bilateral compression of the carotid artery and jugular vein, decreasing the cerebral perfusion pressure and leading to a loss of …
BRIEF REVIEW: TIME TO LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS FOLLOWING A STROKE Read More »
Linear Force Transducers (LFT) are devices designed to measure the displacement and velocity of movement via a tethered cord. They have been utilised extensively in a variety of different sports, and have been shown to be more reliable than accelerometers in measuring linear kinematics. At present, the effectiveness of LFTs in analysing punching technique has …
Tapering refers to a systematic decrease in training load leading up to a competition, and is a common practice in most competitive sports. The goal of a taper is to dissipate fatigue while maintaining fitness, therefore maximising preparedness for the event. In most combat sports, the tapering process is confounded by the period leading up …
Visual, non-automated time-motion analysis has been used as a method of analysing performance in both competition and training conditions in a variety of sports, including combat sports, and is thought to have some utility in detecting change in performance as a result of training interventions. Two separate studies were conducted on high-level Brazilian judo athletes. …
The force with which an upper limb striking technique such as a punch is delivered with is a major determinant of the impact of the strike and its potential for damage and effectiveness. Previous research has shown greater levels of mean and maximum punching force in winning vs. losing boxing contestants. A great variety of …
BRIEF REVIEW: VELOCITY AND FORCE OF UPPER LIMB STRIKING TECHNIQUES Read More »
Christopher Kirk , David R Clark , Carl Langan-Evans & James P Morton Journal of Sports Sciences 2020;23-1 BACKGROUND The optimal preparation for any sport depends in part on the known determinants of success and the methods employed to achieve these determinants. As mixed martial arts (MMA) is a relatively new sport, the research base …
BACKGROUND Most musculoskeletal injury is multifaceted, with biomechanics, i.e. the way we move, one potential aspect that may lead to the occurrence of either a gradual-onset or acute-onset injury. It is thought that suboptimal biomechanics (tightness, weakness, impaired motor control etc.) in certain areas of the body may lean to increased mechanical load in other …
BRIEF REVIEW: Hip & Lumbar Range of Motion and Lower Back Pain Read More »
BACKGROUND The effectiveness of sports psychology interventions, or “psychological skills training” has been demonstrated in many sports. The aim of this study was to perform a review of studies directly related to sports psychology in MMA. METHODS The terms “mixed mart arts” and “ultimate fighting” were searched in combination with: “Psychology”, “Sport Psychology”, “Exercise Psychology”, …
BRIEF REVIEW: Sport Psychology in Mixed Martial Arts Read More »
BACKGROUND Hand and wrist injuries are the most commonly reported injuries in boxing. Previous studies have looked at shoulder and elbow joint angles in punching, but none have investigated movement at the wrist METHODS An 6-degree-of-freedom electromagnetic tracking system was used to measure wrist movement during punching, which was compared to a mechanical surrogate and …
BACKGROUND Rapid weight loss followed by rapid weight gain strategies are commonly employed by combat sports athletes of all disciplines. The amount of weight lost and subsequently gained is generally greater in MMA athletes than other combat athletes Previous studies have shown the amount of weight regained to be predictive of success in judo, but …
SHORT REVIEW: How Effective is Rapid Weight Loss in MMA? Read More »
BACKGROUND Vascular neck restraint (VNR) is a common method of both submission in combat sports such as jiu jitsu and MMA, as well as a controversial restraint technique used by law enforcement officers. The ultimate objective with VNR is to induce a loss of consciousness (LOC). The common understanding in terms of mechanism of LOC …
BACKGROUND Due to the nature of boxing and other combat sports, structural damage to the facial region, including the eyes, is common. Because of this, it is thought that boxing poses a high risk of altered visual acuity. Whilst epidemiological studies have investigated the occurrence of facial and eye injuries, there have not yet …
The rehabilitation of musculoskeletal conditions is a multi-faceted process that needs to be tailored to the individual patient and needs to take into account personal factors as well as address all relevant contributing factors to the condition. As the primary goal of most patients undergoing rehabilitation is to decrease pain levels, it appears logical that …
BACKGROUND The ability to pace oneself in any physical activity (whether in training or competition) is critical to achieving successful competition results, as well as training in a fashion conducive to optimal outcomes and minimising the risk of overtraining. For endurance training modalities, developing a pacing strategy is fairly straightforward. In multi-faceted activities such as …
BACKGROUND Creatine is one of the most well-researched and commonly used athletic ergogenic aids. It is known to positively benefit singular and repeated high intensity bouts of exercise, muscular endurance, and hypertrophic and strength adaptations to resistance exercise. METHODS The authors of this study primarily applied findings of creatine research in related topics to discuss …
SHORT REVIEW: THE ROLE OF CREATINE IN COMBAT SPORTS Read More »
Effects of Two Different Recovery Postures during High-Intensity Interval Training (1) Michaelson, J; Brilla, L; Suprak, D; McLaughlin,W; Dahlquist, D. TRANSLATIONAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SPORTS MEDICINE February 15, 2019 – Volume 4 – Issue 4 – p 23-27 BACKGROUND Combat sports, like many other sports, alternate between periods of physical activity and …
Body Composition of Elite Olympic Combat Sport Athletes (1) Reale, R; Burke, LM; Cox, GR & Slater, G. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SPORT SCIENCE Volume 20, 2020 - Issue 2 BACKGROUND We jump from the previous study looking at a far less common performance trait in the form of genetic characteristics, to a more commonly measured …
RESEARCH REVIEW: Body Composition of Elite Olympic Combat Sport Athletes Read More »
