We provide the answers that prevent your injuries.

Our project was born out of a small-scale study involving local mixed martial arts gyms which demonstrated the need for orthopedic intervention in mixed martial arts injury treatment, prevention, and consultation. Currently we are conducting large-scale mixed martial arts studies, and hope to soon expand into other types of action sports. Check out our research down below.

Our Studies

 

Orthopedic Injuries in Mixed Martial Arts

 

Questions of Focus

  1. What injuries do MMA participants sustain?

  2. When do MMA participants sustain injuries?

  3. Do professional and amateur participants suffer injuries at different rates?

  4. What attitudes do MMA participants have towards health care professionals?

Methods

     Our team surveyed thirty-six professional and amateur participants between 2012 and 2013. We solicited local training gyms for participation in the study. Based on our first-hand knowledge, as well as participant input and observation, we created a survey to address participation level, injury history, and interaction with a healthcare professional.  Participants completed the surveys on an individual in-person basis with the lead author to ensure the accuracy and completion of the survey data. Analyses addressed injury prevalence, body site, mechanism, and severity.  Additional analyses addressed the difference of these primary outcomes based on age and professional status, as well as participant attitudes towards health care professionals.

Results

  1. The most frequent anatomic injury locations were the knee (14%), shoulder (10%), lower back (9%), and neck (9%).

  2. Injuries occurred during takedowns (38%), strikes (22%), submission defense (8%), and ground scrambles (8%).  The mechanism was unknown for 23% of the injuries.

  3. Participants sustained 88% of injuries during training and 12% of injuries during competition.

  4. Professional participants sustained an average of 4 injuries per participants and 0.8 injuries per 1000 events.  Amateur participants sustained an average of 2 injuries per participant and 2.1 injuries per 1000 events (p-value = 0.026).

  5. A plurality (36%) of fighters had not seen a health care professional regarding the injury, while 30% had seen a physician, 22% had seen a trainer, and 8% had seen a chiropractor.  Additionally, 40% of the injured fighters reported that they preferred not to see an orthopedic surgeon.

Anatomic Distribution of Mixed Martial Arts Injuries by Percentage

 

 

 

 

Illustration Credit: Kate Daly Hohn/Kate Daly Hohn Medical Illustration

Conclusions

  1. Mixed Martial Arts participants are most likely to suffer knee, shoulder, and back injuries.

  2. Takedowns and strikes are the most common MMA positions that lead to injury.

  3. While professional participants suffer more injuries overall, amateurs sustain injuries at a higher rate.

  4. Injury prevention methods should focus on training since an overwhelming majority of injuries are sustained during training.

  5. MMA participants often do not seek the advice or counsel of a health care professional after an injury.

  6. The MMA patient population may benefit from outreach efforts from the orthopedic surgery community regarding musculoskeletal health and injury prevention.

  7. More detailed studies involving physical examination, imaging, and specific diagnoses would benefit health care professionals when caring for this patient population.

References

E, Grabowski JG, Brill J, Li G. Incidence of Injury in Professional Mixed Martial Arts Competitions. J Sports Sci Med. 2006:136-142.

McClain R, Wasserman J, Mayfield C, Berry A, Grenier G, Suminski R. Injury Profile of Mixed Martial Arts Competitors. Clin J Sports Med. 2014;epub ahead of print.

Rainey CE. Determining the prevalence and assessing the severity of injuries in mixed martial arts athletes. North Am J Sports Phys Ther Najspt. 2009;4(4):190-199.

Walrod B. Current review of injuries sustained in mixed martial arts competition. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2011;10(5):288-9.Bledsoe G, Hsu