Are MMA and boxing dangerous? “Martial arts are a spiritual challenge, not a physical one” (Ronny yu). Despite all the blood, MMA is actually safer than boxing. To viewers , the bloody, head-to-toe violence of mixed martial arts (MMA) can make cage fighting events look like the most dangerous sport on the planet. But a new study finds that it is actually safer than at least one sport, boxing. Because in boxing you can not use your full body, meaning you can't kick with your legs so you are getting punched in the face more, but in MMA you can use your full body meaning you can kick with your legs. There are many negative effects of MMA fighting that impact a person physically, mentally, and financially. The four common injuries MMA and UFC fighters have are fractures, hand and knee injuries, and concussions (Borchardt). But the most common injuries are broken bones, concussions, and fractures. Fractures include stress fractures that leave the fighter vulnerable to full breaks, and long-term injuries include …show more content…
“Personally, I support all sports that help improve health, self-esteem, positive outlook, discipline, and self-awareness(Becic). Study shows significant effects of MMA and boxing on the human brain. A new study by the American Academy of Neurology show fairly significant volume decreases in portions of the brains of boxers and mixed martial artists(Brookhouse). This study attempts to identify when head trauma starts to cause problems with memory or thinking(Radcliff). UFC and MMA fighters are on course to develop a brain disease similar to boxers, pro wrestlers, and football players. Boxers and mixed martial arts fighters may have markers of long-term brain injury in their blood, according to a study presented at the American Academy of Neurology sports concussion conference. “Female athletes are closing the gender gap when it comes to
The main idea of this article is to determine whether NFL football players are subjects to have more head trauma related diseases later on in life such as MCI and Alzheimer’s. The purpose of this experiment is to prove this theory to be true. Christopher Randolph executed this study by comparing the neuropsychological test results from two groups of without a history in participating professional sport “(1) 41 demographically similar adults with no cognitive changes and (2) a clinical sample of 81 people diagnosed with MCI” (Randolph). After all the testing and surveys, the results were clear; professional athletes are more likely to have a form of MCI or Alzheimer’s when they get older.
According to the Centre for Disease Control New Jersey, roughly 1.4 million people sustain traumatic brain injuries in the United States from the result of contact sports. Out of those 1.4 million people, 50,000 die due to the severity of their brain injury.“But brain injury is preventable. Surely given what we already know about the brain and getting at least a glimpse of it’s awesome complexities, we should not be making sport or deliberately trying to do it damage,” says Joan Beck in her article, “Stop Pretending Boxing is a Sport”. Violence in sports should be removed because, it is treacherous to the human body and leads to severe injuries; especially head injuries.
In 1997, the injury rate predicted in the sport of boxing was 7,257 injuries and 10.8% of those injuries were estimated to have affected people between the ages of five and fourteen. 1.3% of those injuries were predicted to be in the ages between zero and four, and 55.8% of those injuries were in the group of ages from fifteen to twenty-four.( National Electronic Injury Surveillance System et al., Estimates for Sports Injuries 1997) Boxing can be a safe and fun sport as long as it is practiced and played properly. Boxing should not be banned because it can help relieve stress, and like running it is a good addition for getting in shape. It should also not be banned because boxers know the risks and they still choose to do it ; it is their
“For example, collision sports such as football and ice hockey characteristically have more acute traumatic injuries than sports such as swimming and track. Boxing has more head-related trauma because of the focus of the sport. Within each sport, a general injury pattern and specific types of injury are unique to the sport. One type of injury that can occur in any sport or physical activity is concussion”. (Cerebral Concussion: Causes, Effects, and Risks in Sports).
In the article, “Sports and Brain Injury,” Michael McCrea, Lindsay Nelson and Julie Janecek report on the surprising prevalence and effects of sport-related concussions (SRCs). Concussions are among the most frequent injuries experienced by athletes participating in contact and collision sports (McCrea, Nelson and Janecek, 2014). Neurologists have increasingly studied the short and long-term effects of these brain injuries on athletes.
Jessica Firger writes “In many circumstances--if not most-- frequent blows to the head have effects that may last a lifetime, a condition known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).” This disease causes a variety of psychiatric, and neurological symptoms including memory loss, depression, anxiety, aggression and dementia (Firger). None of the blows have to result in unconsciousness, in fact, most people diagnosed have never had severe brain trauma or concussions (NFL Concussions Fast). Early studies found a disease in correlation to boxing, a condition called dementia pugilistica, or “punch-drunk syndrome” (Alzheimer’s and Dementia). Studies for dementia pugilistica began in 1929, outlining the symptoms as memory loss, confusion, dizziness, and personality changes. (Alzheimer’s and Dementia).
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or better known as CTE has gained momentum in areas of public awareness and scientific involvement in recent years due to the popularized sport on American Football. During recent years, the media has been swaying and educating the public on the adverse outcomes that CTE can initiate. However, the first discovery of this disease was diagnosed by pathologist Harrison Martland and can be related back to the late 1920’s; the first true cases were identified in the physical sport of boxing. During that time, CTE was commonly known as dementia pugilistica meaning “punch drunk” from the wobbly nature of boxers during repetitive hits to the head.1,2 It was determined that dementia pugilistica (also known as boxer’s
Boxers sometimes face the challenge of defeating their opponent for many reasons. Those reasons could be to prove they can win, to earn money and to not disappoint or lead down fans and beaters. Many boxers choose boxing because they are good at it and it’s a way of earning money, just like Benny Paret. Boxing is a dangerous sport since every boxer become badly hurt and ill at the end of every match. Most boxers suffer from brain damages as a result of many hits in the head. Cousins explains that Benny Paret was killed because of a massive hemorrhage in the brain, caused by an impact directed against the head (par. 7) Cousins also wrote “Not every blow to the head will kill a man but there is always the risk of concussion and damage to the brain” (par. 7). Fighters that survive repeated concussions still go and fight, but the problem here is that the damage in the brain may be permanent. Sometimes boxers should consider their health problems before fighting again.
During a match, players will take many hits to the head. At this time, their brains are being rattled around. They may not look injured, but this is an injury that will affect them in present time or in the future years to come. According to Boxing Regulation, many MMA fighters will obtain dementia pugilistica. This disease is similar to Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. With these risk of trauma, more people are losing their lives.
The dangers of repeated concussions have long been known for boxers and wrestlers; a form of CTE common in these two sports, dementia pugilistica, was first described in 1928. An awareness of the
Once flippantly referred to as having one’s bell rung, mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) or concussions are no innocuous contusions. Annually in the United States, approximately 1.7 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury that is confirmed through diagnosis. Of these, roughly 75% are categorized as mTBIs or concussions, although the total number of concussions may be slighted considering 81-92% of these injuries do not result in loss of consciousness. Recent controversy concerning professional athletes and their mental health has brought to light evidence that concussions may cause severely deleterious effects on a person’s wellness in later life. This poses the question, to
Concussions have been known about since the early 1900s. During this time concussions did not receive the attention that it receives now. In mainstream media today concussions are a growing issue, not only in professional sports but also at high school and college levels. It is believed that Dr. Bennet Omalu was the first person to come up with a study and show that concussions are very dangerous and the great effects it has. His focus was mainly towards American football but it was helpful to others who did not play football as well. Dr. Bennet Ifeakandu Omalu is a forensic pathologist who was the first to publish findings of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in American football players while working at the Allegheny County Coroner 's Office in Pittsburgh. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in people with a history of repetitive brain trauma, including symptomatic concussions as well as sub concussive hits to the head that do not cause symptoms (Boston University, 2015). CTE has been known to affect boxers since the 1920’s (when it was termed punch drunk syndrome or dementia pugilistic). However, in recent years the disease has been found in other athletes, including football and hockey players, as well as in military veterans (Boston University, 2015). CTE is not limited to professional athletes; it has also been found in athletes who did not play sports after high school or college. The repeated brain trauma
In America, the sports industry is one of the largest and most powerful country; whether the sport is football, baseball, basketball, or any of the other sports the country has. Recently reports and documented cases have risen involving some of these sports’ greatest athletes, as well as current players, dealing with concussions (Famous sports concussions, 2012). Numerous athletes, some of them being the sport’s highest profile players, were found to have several mental illnesses and diseases, that have been attributed to head injuries sustained while they were playing their sports. The biggest and most predominant of these injuries is concussions. They can cause not only immediate issues, but also a lifetime of health
Some say that every knockout is a concussion but, that has not yet been proven. One third of MMA fighters suffer from brain trauma. That is the highest rating out of any sport. The number of Traumatic brain injuries per 100 athletes was fifteen point nine in MMA the highest by far almost doubling football which was at eight point one. These stats show that MMA is the the most dangerous sport by far. Eighty-five percent of knockouts in MMA are from punches to the head. A knockout is considered when the fighter is no longer able to defend himself. There is one concussion diagnosed thirty-two percent of the time in a match which is a little less than one third of the time. Fifty percent of knockouts are from hits to the mandible or lower jaw. Many argue that MMA should be banned from youth to keep them safe from the repeated blows to the head while there brain is developing.
They are also prone to succumbing to mental illnesses. That’s why boxing is considered as one of the most dangerous and brutal sports and has been criticized in many cases because of its violence. According to >… there were 488 deaths related to boxing from 1960 to 2011. This is one of the reasons that professional boxing has been banned in some countries such as Sweden, Libya, and