Concussion and CTE are serious occupational risks of combat sports. Despite these risks many have a false sense of belief in the ‘protection’ offered by gloves and headgear.
According to the Association of Ringside Physicians “Headguards should not be relied upon to reduce the risk of concussion or other traumatic brain injury. They have not been shown to prevent these types of injuries in combat sports or other sports”
Gloves protect an athletes hands, not their opponents brains.
Many people in combat sports do not fully appreciate these important facts.
According to Dr. Charles Bernick, the leading physician of the Cleveland Clinic’s Professional Athletes Brain Health Study, the professional boxers and MMA athletes that he has studied “do have an interest in learning more about concussions and ways to train more safely but do not know where and now to access this information”.
To this end the Athletes Voice Committee, a committee formed last year by the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports to help give athletes more say in the regulatory process and their respective sports, have put forward a common sense request. That every combat sports glove, shinguard and headgear manufacturer print a blunt warning on their product addressing their safety limitations.
This measure, if followed, would put crucial information literally in the athletes hands every time they gear up to train.
Below is the full Athletes Voice Committee statement along with Dr. Bernick’s endorsement.
It will be great to see which gear manufacturer is prepared to show the leadership necessary to be first in following this health and safety educational recommendation.
Combat Sports Law 