| - Marco Antico |
| Copyright© 2008 Canadian Mixed Martial Arts Association (CMMAA). |
SAFETY IN MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
by Paul D
MMA, as a sport, must necessarily take measures to reduce the chances of an athlete suffering a long-term,
serious injury. The question becomes how to do so, while still allowing as much freedom in the accepted
skills & techniques used in MMA.
MMAjunkie.com recently interviewed Dr. Johnny Benjamin, a physician who specialises in combat sports, and
his insights into fighter safety may well serve the Ontario Athletic Commission (OAC) in its efforts to sanction
MMA in the province.
A summary of his observations and suggestions:
* sprains & strains are the most common injuries
* blows to the back of the head are particularly dangerous, as they are sensitive areas the fighters are not
expected to defend
* athletes may not be aware that they have sustained a serious injury while in a bout
* doctors present at MMA events should have a specialisation in combat sports
* neurocognitive testing before and after fights will ensure that fighters have fully recovered from concussions
* better mouthguards, specifically designed for MMA, would reduce the number of concussions
* more effective deterrence of steroid abuse
* fighters need to be of equivalent skill & experience in order to fight each other safely
* more than one fight a night is dangerous
* fighters need to begin slowly and work their way up to 5-minute rounds with full contact as they gain
experience
In addition to these points, a few others may be worth considering as we move from amateur MMA to
professional MMA in Ontario and the whole of Canada.
* referees should have a basic combat sport first aid, and be properly trained in recognizing when to stop a
fight for the sake of safety first
* fight schedules should remain flexible, possibly accounting for alternates or seconds, such that fighters are
not obliged to fight with a serious injury.
* foreground MMA's role as a Martial Art and Sport above its role as Spectacle, and develop a code of conduct.
Most MMA athletes behave respectfully towards one another, which already speaks well for the sport, and the
professionalism of its participants
Once we address the issues of safety, then the rest of the features of MMA may be explored with greater
freedom, such that we can truly define our own style of Martial Art, suitable for Canadian amateurs and
professionals alike.
http://mmajunkie.com/news/4046/dr-johnny-benjamin-talks-mma-safety-an-mmajunkie-com-interview.mma
by Paul D
MMA, as a sport, must necessarily take measures to reduce the chances of an athlete suffering a long-term,
serious injury. The question becomes how to do so, while still allowing as much freedom in the accepted
skills & techniques used in MMA.
MMAjunkie.com recently interviewed Dr. Johnny Benjamin, a physician who specialises in combat sports, and
his insights into fighter safety may well serve the Ontario Athletic Commission (OAC) in its efforts to sanction
MMA in the province.
A summary of his observations and suggestions:
* sprains & strains are the most common injuries
* blows to the back of the head are particularly dangerous, as they are sensitive areas the fighters are not
expected to defend
* athletes may not be aware that they have sustained a serious injury while in a bout
* doctors present at MMA events should have a specialisation in combat sports
* neurocognitive testing before and after fights will ensure that fighters have fully recovered from concussions
* better mouthguards, specifically designed for MMA, would reduce the number of concussions
* more effective deterrence of steroid abuse
* fighters need to be of equivalent skill & experience in order to fight each other safely
* more than one fight a night is dangerous
* fighters need to begin slowly and work their way up to 5-minute rounds with full contact as they gain
experience
In addition to these points, a few others may be worth considering as we move from amateur MMA to
professional MMA in Ontario and the whole of Canada.
* referees should have a basic combat sport first aid, and be properly trained in recognizing when to stop a
fight for the sake of safety first
* fight schedules should remain flexible, possibly accounting for alternates or seconds, such that fighters are
not obliged to fight with a serious injury.
* foreground MMA's role as a Martial Art and Sport above its role as Spectacle, and develop a code of conduct.
Most MMA athletes behave respectfully towards one another, which already speaks well for the sport, and the
professionalism of its participants
Once we address the issues of safety, then the rest of the features of MMA may be explored with greater
freedom, such that we can truly define our own style of Martial Art, suitable for Canadian amateurs and
professionals alike.
http://mmajunkie.com/news/4046/dr-johnny-benjamin-talks-mma-safety-an-mmajunkie-com-interview.mma
