Practicing martial arts, whether as a hobby or a profession, provides all sorts of benefits. Aside from the physical fitness that comes with engaging in such activities, martial artists also gain improve focus, increase confidence, and enhance coordination. But like contact sports, practicing martial arts increases your risk of suffering an injury.
According to a study, about 46 percent of martial artists suffer some form of injury, 27 percent were from acute injuries and the remaining 19 percent were injured from overuse. Take a closer look at the most common injuries martial artists run into and what you can do to prevent them.
Most Common Injuries
Depending on their severity, the kind of injury you could encounter as a martial artist could be a mild annoyance to truly debilitating. Without immediate professional healthcare to treat the injury and a reliable provider of martial arts insurance, a serious injury could affect you for a significant amount of time, possibly even for life.
The Sports Trauma and Overuse Prevention initiative started by the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine cataloged some of the most prevalent injuries incurred by martial artists. They are as follows:
By far the most common injury, concussions are the result of blunt force trauma to the brain. Symptoms are headaches, nausea, dizziness, lack of concentration, and aphasia. Symptoms could last weeks, even months, depending on severity. Common causes include direct strikes from an opponent and falling.
These injuries include damage to facial features, like the nose and eyes. Broken noses, cauliflower ear, and swollen eyes fall under this category. If the injury is bad enough, it could result in a permanent loss of function, such as deafness or blindness.
Injuries to extremities
These types of injuries include bruises, sprains, strains on the limbs. However, serious injuries to the extremities could also be fractures and joint dislocation. Lack of proper supervision can lead to these injuries, which could mean a significant impairment of movement.
Different holds from different martial disciplines include neck holds, which could injure the area. Abrasions and bruises are the most prevalent neck injuries.
Cuts and bruises are routine during martial arts practice, but more full-contact disciplines can also lead to skin infections.
Given the strength of most martial artists, inflicted injuries could be debilitating even with medical intervention. What can you do to prevent other martial artists from suffering these injuries?
Preventing Martial Arts Injuries
There are three main approaches to preventing martial arts injuries. Only when used in conjunction with one another do you have a reasonable chance of ending a sparring session unscathed.
These approaches are:
Before you even start a session, you have to ensure that everyone is prepared properly. Physical examinations should determine whether someone is fit to engage or if it’s better for them to go home. Anyone who will practice or train should also properly warm up to avoid straining their muscles.
Ensure that everyone has access to the right equipment to safely practice their martial arts discipline. Headgear and mouthguards are essential components of these safety gear, as well as wraps and the right footwear to prevent slipping or falling on mats.
Trained personnel or experienced practitioners should always be on hand to watch over you. Their presence will ensure no one is too rough or practicing improper maneuvers. Additionally, other people can also contact emergency assistance in case of accidents and injuries.
Even in a fun, mock kung-fu fighting scenario, people could still get seriously hurt. When you’ve taken all the necessary steps to ensure your safety and the well-being of others, you can enjoy practicing your chosen martial arts without fear.