Injuries in martial arts: a comparison of five styles
In 2004, a study was conducted to compare five martial arts styles regarding injury outcomes. The research included 263 martial artists of different ages, sexes, training frequencies, and experiences. Here is a summary of the research.
Introduction: Investigating the Risk of Injury in Different Styles of Martial Arts
Participation in martial arts has significantly increased in the past decade, with around 8 million Americans involved in various styles. Women and children are also becoming increasingly interested in martial arts due to fitness and self-defense benefits. While martial arts offer several benefits, the literature is unclear about the risks involved in regular training, and most studies have focused on injuries during tournaments, which do not represent all martial arts practitioners. Moreover, previous studies have grouped several different styles together, making it difficult to generalize their findings to all martial artists.
This study aims to determine the risk of injury in five commonly practiced martial art styles: Shotokan karate, Olympic-style tae kwon do, aikido, kung fu, and tai chi.
The study examines the risk of injury during regular training, with tournaments comprising only a fraction of the total exposure. Shotokan karate and aikido are traditional Japanese martial arts, with Shotokan karate being a non-contact style that uses strikes and blocking techniques from a low stance, while aikido uses joint locks and throwing techniques that require soft training surfaces. Tae kwon do originated in Korea and is distinguished from Shotokan karate by its emphasis on high kicks. The tae kwon do school included in the study practices Olympic-style full-contact sparring, requiring protective equipment. Kung fu and tai chi both find their origins in China, with kung fu similar to Shotokan karate in its use of punches, kicks, and blocks, but differs in its use of traditional weapons and low stances. Tai chi is unique among the five styles studied as it does not involve a physical opponent. The study aims to compare the risks of injury in these styles and identify significant risk factors to reduce the likelihood of injury among martial artists.
Methods of research
Data on injuries was obtained using surveys. The surveys consisted of two sections: personal data (age, sex, martial art style, rank, number of years of training, and number of hours of training per week) and injury data. The latter was a checklist of injuries grouped by body region. For each injury, subjects indicated how much time, if any, was required off from training. They also indicated if casting or surgery was necessary. Only injuries that required time off from training or competition were considered for the purposes of rate determination. Any injuries that required a minimum of seven days off were classified as major, as were any injuries requiring immobilization or surgery. Concussions were also considered major injuries, regardless of the amount of time off from training. Multiple injuries occurred when the same athlete reported three or more injuries. All variables and injury data underwent statistical analysis.
Results
The injury rates varied depending on the martial art style, with taekwondo having the highest rate of time-loss injuries (59%), followed by aikido (51%), kung fu (38%), and Shotokan karate (30%). Tai chi had the lowest injury rate with only 14% of students reporting injuries. Only 10% of martial artists under 18 years of age sustained injuries that required time off from training, and all of these athletes trained at least three hours a week.
Aikido and taekwondo had the greatest numbers of athletes with major injuries, with rates of 28% and 26% respectively. Kung fu and Shotokan karate had similar rates of major injuries, at 18% and 17% respectively. Only one subject sustained a major injury (strained neck muscle) in tai chi, which was likely due to the sustained, intense muscular contraction observed in experienced practitioners of tai chi.
Taekwondo students were the most likely to sustain multiple injuries (50%), followed by aikido (32%), kung fu (23%), and Shotokan karate (18%). There were no cases of multiple injuries in tai chi. There was only one subject in the entire study who sustained a concussion, which was a black belt female martial artist with 15 years of experience in Shotokan karate.
Conclusions
The study found that younger participants (under 18 years of age) were at a lower risk of injury than adults, and that experience and age significantly interacted to increase the risk of injury. The study also found that Taekwondo had a higher risk of injury than Shotokan Karate, which was likely due to the emphasis on fast, powerful kicks in Taekwondo. Finally, the study suggests that three hours of training a week may be a reasonable limit for athletes under 18 years of age, as none of the time-loss injuries or multiple injuries occurred in younger athletes who trained less than three hours a week. Additionally, no significant differences in injuries were found between genders.
What needs to be taken into consideration when reading this study:
Only 263 martial artists participated in this study, which is a relatively low number. The study had an 84% response rate, which may have introduced some bias depending on the characteristics of the 16% who did not participate. Recall bias is another concern, as remote injuries are more likely to be forgotten.
Original article can be found here.