Nutrition in Combat Sports

142 C.B. Pasque
Studies reporting specifically female injuries also found contusions the most common
injury type in taekwondo, and abrasions the most common in judo. [69] Pieter
also agreed that contusions were the most common injury, but found that epistaxis
was second in women compared to lacerations in men. [72]
The body location of injuries in martial arts varies with the different forms and
with the rules used. Zetaruk et al. found that most injuries in taekwondo (31%) and
aikido (32%) occurred around the head and neck area. [57] Only 10% of the injuries
in karate occurred in this area, but karate accounted for the only concussion found
among all types of martial arts.[ 57] Other studies on taekwondo [58, 64, 66, 76– 78]
and karate [72, 79] have also found the head and neck area to be the most common
location for injury, with poor blocking and evasive maneuvers noted as a potential
cause.[ 76] More emphasis on defensive technique has been cited as a cause of fewer
head and neck injuries, as well as the implementation of new rules that prohibit or
limit blows to the head in taekwondo and karate competition. [67 ] In addition to the
head and neck, other common areas of injury have been to the lower limb in taekwondo,
[58, 59, 65, 69, 70] and the upper limb in judo. [73, 80] Martial arts studies
specifically reporting on women have shown a higher incidence of injuries to the
foot, especially the instep in taekwondo, [58, 59, 61, 69] and the upper extremity in
judo. [73, 74] There is a higher incidence of concussions in taekwondo in males versus
females (7.04 vs 2.42/1,000 exposures), with the dominant mechanism being
receiving a blow. [81] At least in karate, the rates of injury to the head and neck
between males and females are very similar. [72] Many believe that the more similar
locations of injury between males and females now seen in martial arts are the
results of the new rules prohibiting or limiting blows to dangerous areas such as the
head and neck, and the increased participation of females in competitions.
The mechanism of injury in martial arts has also been studied in several sports.
As expected, delivering or receiving a kick, [58, 63, 69] especially a roundhouse
kick [59, 61, 69, 70 ] is a common mechanism of injury in taekwondo. Participant
contact is the most common mechanism of injury in taekwondo (61%), followed by
falls (30%) and twisting injuries (3%).[ 66] In karate, punching is the most common
mechanism of injury, also explaining why there are more injuries to the head
and neck in this sport.[ 69] Comparing women to men, one study showed that the
women’s most common mechanism of injury in taekwondo was delivering a blow,
especially to the elbow area as well as receiving kicks, especially knee kicks.[ 69]
Findings such as these have resulted in rule changes to decrease injuries, specifically
increased padding on the athlete and the floor, and increased limitation of
blows to hazardous areas such as the head and neck.
9.7 Boxing
Unlike the martial arts sports, women’s widespread involvement in the sport of
boxing is relatively new. Male boxing has had a steady decline in public interest
from fewer overall individual boxers, less media interest from the lack of interesting