It’s Monday night at your dojo and you are getting ready for a good healthy sparring session. Being no stranger to sparring or martial arts in general, you get a few rounds in and work up a sweat. Things are going great until-
THUMP
Next thing you know you’re on the ground seeing Australian dragons and dancing hippies. As you may have figured out by now you’ve just been on the receiving end of backfist to the side of the head. Laying aside the obvious fact of not blocking your opponent in time, you’re lucky to be conscious. Martial arts is an excellent form of exercise, discipline and well being, but it can be dangerous. The following are only some of the most common martial arts injuries, how they occur and how you can prevent them.
Cuts and Bruises
Don’t laugh. The human skin takes all sorts of abuse all day, and every day of our lives as it is designed for. But it can only take so much, especially in high stress, aggressive martial arts. Though cuts and bruises may seem minor and something you may be able to shrug off, don’t. Even a minor cut is all it takes for a serious bacterial infection to make its way into your system and put you in a world of hurt. If you receive a cut , stop immediately and clean the cut gently and cover with a bandage. As with bruises, if it is heavy enough it can cause internal bleeding so be safe and sit it out.
Sprains
Ouch. Sprains are one area I can attest to when it comes to injuries and I can tell you now they are no bag of candy. A sprain occurs when a ligament (the tissue that hold bones together) becomes excessively stretched or even torn causing immense pain and even loss of function. Always remember to stretch properly before any class or session to prevent sprains. If you ever sprain, be sure not to touch or irritate the area and seek immediate medical attention.
Fractures
Now I personally have never broken a bone……and I don’t plan on starting anytime soon. Bone fractures can occur when blunt trauma is introduced to the bone…..duh. The event is followed by what can be described as a hellish session of agony and excruciating pain unlike any other. Always be sure to be wearing proper equipment when sparring such as padding, gloves, and mouthpiece. Never put unnecessary excessive pressure on any limb or bone. If the universe conspires to break one of your bones, seek immediate medical attention, trust me, you’re gonna need it.
What have we learned?
photo credit: johnnyalive
I love martial arts, I wouldn’t give it up for anything. And I am sure there are many of you who feel the very same way. Are there potential risks of injury in martial arts? Heck yes there are, people have been known to be killed. but people are killed in auto accidents on a daily basis, does that mean I’m walking 8 miles to work and back every day? I don’t think so. Always remember to stretch before class, always use proper equipment and know what to do when you hook kick one of your student or classmates in the face, or Joey accidentally does the splits.
And remember the most important rule of all:
HAVE FUN!
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