As an MMA fan and lawyer who deals with the consequences of concussive injuries in my professional life I have conflicting feelings when it comes to witnessing a knock out in combat sports. While it is the most exciting way a fight can end there are well understood potentially long … More Why Post Concussive Consequences Should Not Be Blacked Out By the UFC
In a competitive world it often pays to take initiative instead of simply being reactive. The same holds true in the world of regulation. It is important to introduce forward thinking legislation instead of waiting for a tragedy to occur before bringing legal change. This leads to today’s topic, rapid weight loss in combat sports and foreseeable tragedy. MMA, as with all weight-restricted sports, comes … More Making Weight, Fighter Safety and Avoiding Tragedy
The answer, surprisingly, may be scientifically uncertain. That said, some common sense observations can be used to bridge this scientific gap to conclude that there are real risks associated with long term participation in contact sport. Without marginalizing the discussion surrounding concussive injury and potential long term health implications, a recent study was published earlier this … More What Are the Risks of Chronic Brain Damage For Retired Athletes?
Update: April 19, 2013 – The below article was republished at Top MMA News and I invite readers to also visit there for its discussion thread. Dr. Anna Reid, the President of the CMA, appeared on a local BC Radio show earlier this week and acknowledged that “we don’t have a lot of research available yet as … More The Canadian Medical Association Takes a Swipe at Bill S-209
Conventional wisdom has long held that hits resulting in loss of consciousness were the primary factor in long term cognitive dysfunction in athletes. New research continues to shed light on this assumption and it is becoming clearer that while concussive events can lead to long term harm, cumulative sub-concussive events take their own toll. In a boxing … More Spar Smart! – Study Shows Long Term Brain Dysfunction More Related to Intensity of Sparring Than Frequency of Knockouts
All contact sports come with concussion risks. However, as I have previously highlighted, combat sports do not come with a disproportionate risk of injury or concussion when compared to other contact sports. Adding to the scientific data behind this, the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine has recently published an article in the British Journal of Sports Medicine finding “the majority … More More on Sport Concussion Risks – Which Sports Come With the Greatest Incidence of Concussion?
Today Dana White, the president of the UFC, is reported as stating that MMA “is the safest sport in the world”. Unsurprisingly a lot of negative feedback came from this easily refutable statement. While this comment should be criticized as being factually incorrect, what should not be lost in the debate is the fact that … More MMA Not The “Safest Sport in the World” But Safer Than Many Critics Think
Last month I discussed concussions in contact sports and highlighted some Canadian legislative efforts addressing this issue including Federal Bill C319. I addressed the Bill’s slow progress speculating that it may not become law. This week the Bill’s author, Member of Parliament Bill Thibeault, was kind enough to contact me giving me insight into the … More Bill C319 Not Likely To Become Law Any Time Soon
If you are looking for a quick introduction to concussive injuries (or if you need an aid for explaining concussions to others), this video by Dr. Mike Evans from the Sport Concussion Library, is a great starting point. Given the problems that concussions in sports can create members of Parliament and BC’s Legislature have introduced Bills … More Concussions in Combat Sports and Government Regulation Efforts
With findings that may catch many opponents of MMA and other striking sports off guard, the Canadian Paediatric Society recently published an article discussing injury risks of youth boxing participation. The article’s final recommendation opposing boxing for youth is not surprising given the Canadian Medical Association’s view that “all boxing be banned in Canada“. The Canadian Paediatric Society’s opposition appears more grounded … More Overall Risk of Injury in Amateur Boxing “Lower Than Football, Hockey, Wrestling and Soccer”
Combat Sports Law 