The Professional Fighters Brain Health Study is generating some of the most interesting data and insights into the harm combative sports athletes expose themselves to in their vocation. The most recent revelation from this ongoing study is that the pattern of brain damage appears to change in active vs retired fighters. The latest study, titled … More Study – Observable Brain Damage Different in Active vs Retired Professional Fighters

Adding to this site’s combat sports safety study archives a recent article was published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research analysing win/loss ratios and rapid extreme weight cuts. In the study, titled Weight-Cutting Implications for Competition Outcomes in Mixed Martial Arts Cage Fighting, the authors reviewed the weight cuts, weight gains and competition … More Study – Excessive Rapid Extreme Weight Cuts Linked to Higher Loss Rates in MMA

Adding to this site’s archived combat sports safety studies, a recent article was published in International Journal of Neuroscience discussing the exact physiology at play when a person becomes unconscious from a vascular neck restraint (think rear naked choke).  In the study, titled There is more to the mechanism of unconsciousness from vascular neck restraint … More Study – The Science Behind the Rear Naked Choke

Moderate and severe brain injuries can be seen via diagnostic imaging.  Concussions can not be seen via imaging but by definition come with clinically significant symptoms which themselves should be a red flag for athletes that they have suffered harm from brain trauma.  Sub concussive brain trauma, on the other hand, remains diagnostically elusive.  A … More Study – Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI Shows Promise in Imaging Sub Concussive Brain Trauma

Adding to this site’s combat sports safety study archives, a study was recently published in Frontiers of Human Neuroscience suggesting that sparring with head impacts for even a short duration results in immediate measurable impact in cognitive function. In the study, titled Understanding the consequences of Repetitive Subconcussive Head Impacts in Sport: Brain changes and dampened … More Study – “Acute and Transient Brain Changes” Seen After 9 Minutes of Boxing Sparring

Just as regulatory standards differ across jurisdictions when it comes to combative sports, so do concussion/brain injury screening protocols before and after a bout.  Hoping to change this scattered landscape Dr. Nitin K Sethi, the Chief Medical Officer, New York State Athletic Commission and Associate Professor of Neurology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital published the following suggested … More NYSAC’s Chief Medical Officer Calls For Standardized Concussion Screening in Boxing and MMA

While some doctors are debating whether routine chokes in combat sports have negative impact on brain function similar to concussion (a topic where more research is needed) it is worth pointing out that there are known risks to the dangers of chokes. After reading some posts from this site Dr. Smock, a Police Surgeon with … More Shedding Light on Known Dangers from Chokes in Combat Sports

Update June 13, 2019 – I shared this article with Dr. John Neidecker, a Sports Medicine Physician, Sports Concussion Specialist and present Vice President of the Association of Ringside Physicians who was kind enough to read the entire study, the critique, and weighed in with the following views:   Please let me read the full … More Are Chokes in MMA Dangerous For Brain Function? Doctors Debate the Issue

Adding to the literature supporting the dangers of extreme weight cutting in combat sports, a recent study was published documenting various harmful effects from the practice for a mixed martial artist. In the recent study, titled Extreme Weight Making Causes Relative Energy Deficiency, Dehydration and Acute Kidney Injury in a Male Mixed Martial Arts Athlete, … More Study Documents Harmful Effects of Extreme Weight Cutting in MMA