MMA includes a lot of boxing and blows to the head and face. One of the most common injuries are lacerations, however, they also include burst fractures, bruises, nasal fractures, dental injuries and concussions. MMA is a fairly new sport and the long-term effects of injuries sustained have not been studied. Overall, MMA is a sport with a high injury rate, with an incidence of 25 injuries per 100 competitive fights.
Most injuries are to the head and face, followed by the wrist and hand. The most commonly injured joint is the elbow joint, followed by the knee joint (ACL, MCL, meniscus). The most common types of injuries are lacerations, followed by fractures and concussions. The orbital bones, nose, ribs, ulna, radius, and collarbone are often fractured.
Long bone fractures are rare, but can occur due to a blow or blockage in the tibia, fibula, radius, or ulna. Other common musculoskeletal injuries include metacarpal contusions or sprains, AC joint separations, elbow subluxations, bursitis and MCL sprains, midfoot and ankle sprains, trapezius strains, and Achilles tendon injuries. The injury pattern in MMA is quite similar to that of professional boxing. The part of the body that is most often injured is the head, then the wrists, then the fractures and the least amount is concussions.
Treatment with heat or cold therapy, as appropriate, is essential for strains and sprains commonly associated with martial arts injuries. In most cases, cold therapy is more appropriate to reduce swelling, while thermal therapy can relieve muscle aches caused by overwork. The most common injuries in martial arts are sprains, sprains, cuts and bruises. These injuries often affect the knee, ankle, shoulder and elbow.
Hands are particularly vulnerable to injury during martial arts. Studies on specific martial arts disciplines reveal that disciplines with a predominance of hitting, such as boxing, karate, Muay Thai and Taekwondo, have high rates of head and face injuries, while disciplines with a predominance of submission, such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo and wrestling, have high rates of joint injuries. There are several strategies that can help prevent injuries caused by martial arts, such as wearing the right protective equipment and receiving extensive training and supervision in new techniques. However, during training, it is essential to avoid injuries, and there is also no reason why an injury should occur every time the martial artist steps into the ring.
However, everyone concluded that the difference in the frequency of injuries between full contact and semi-contact martial arts is surprisingly small. In 2001, two business partners bought UFC and realized the importance of fighter safety not only for the health of their athletes, but also for the viability of commercial MMA. As a result of this growing participation in MMA, healthcare providers are tasked with treating injuries in this growing population, despite a dearth of evidence and knowledge about injuries specific to MMA athletes. Although gunshots in the groin are strictly prohibited in virtually all martial arts, they occur involuntarily but regularly.
But if you look only at the frequency of injuries, without taking into account the severity, Taekwondo is better than kickboxing, Muay Thai, karate and all other martial arts. These studies have found that the injury rate of competitive MMA athletes ranges from 22.9 to 28.6 per 100 engagements in fights. Similarly, martial arts such as judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu or wrestling tend to rely on a different type of injury. Many mixed martial arts enthusiasts think that if they don't “do it with all their strength, without protective gear, they're not doing it “right”.
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