Content uploaded by Rafael Kons
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Rafael Kons on Jun 22, 2018
Content may be subject to copyright.
A preview of the PDF is not available
Injury prevalence in Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes: Comparison between different competitive levels
Abstract and Figures
This study aimed to identify types and sites of body injury, location of injury occurrence, and the mechanism and severity of injuries in novice and advanced Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) athletes. One hundred and eight BJJ athletes took part in this study separated in two groups: advanced (n = 53) and novice (n = 55). Athletes answered a questionnaire concerning regions of injury, locality of occurrence, injury severity and mechanism. Chi square test and a logistic regression analysis were used with the level of significance set at p < 0.05. The main results showed that shoulders and knees were the most injury location reported by novice and advanced athletes. Novice athletes demonstrated higher prevalence of injuries during training sessions (54.5%), whereas advanced athletes reported more injuries during competitions (66.1%). Significant associations between novice and advanced athletes were observed for major joints (p < 0.05). The odds ratio of having injury was 70-87% less for novice versus advanced athletes for the major joints cited. We concluded that BJJ athletes demonstrate high prevalence of injury mainly at knee and shoulder. While risk of injury appeared less in novice, the advanced demonstrated higher number of injuries during competitions as a consequence of injured joint keys. By contrast, novice athletes reported higher number of injuries associated with training sessions as a consequence of overuse.
Figures - uploaded by Rafael Kons
Author content
All figure content in this area was uploaded by Rafael Kons
Content may be subject to copyright.
... Although the three studies were relatively similar in approach, using an epidemiological study design, and reported comparatively the same limitation (respondent sampling), the variance between the Petrisor et al. (2019) (2017) and (Silva Júnior et al., 2018). Thus, even though each work separately exhibits research rigor and their conclusions supported by evidence, these studies combined appear to paint a more holistic picture of BJJ injuries that might be useful for the leadership at BJJ schools to develop an injury prevention framework. ...
... Types of injuries students sustain while studying BJJ affect their ability to learn and practice continually. According to the literature, BJJ students report two types of injuries -selfreported and medically diagnosed (Koutures & Demorest, 2018;Lemoyne et al., 2017;McDonald et al., 2017;Moriarty et al., 2019;Petrisor et al., 2019;Silva Júnior et al., 2018). Selfreported injuries related to grappling and submissions, like BJJ, typically range from minor rashes to moderate joint pain. ...
... Silva Júnior et al. (2018) affirm that students with light injuries typically lose no training time, light to moderate injuries lose a day or two, moderate injuries lose two weeks, moderate to severe injuries lose two to four weeks. In addition, students who sustain severe injuries will lose more than four weeks of training time or, according to Petrisor et al. (2019), will quit training altogether. ...
p>This article synthesizes the peer-reviewed literature about injury prevalence in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and strategies to mitigate injuries. It is critical to implement injury prevention initiatives necessary to reduce injury rates among BJJ students since injuries are barriers to continued training and learning. </p
... Judo athletes also prefer a specific lateral side for combat [41][42][43]. BJJ athletes are similar to other combat sport athletes, preferring a specific lateral side to compete [41], which could lead to muscular skeletal imbalances, increasing the chance of shoulder injury and SD [15,44,45]. Our results with non-dominant arm SD in BJJ athletes may be related to favoring a specific side during training and combat. ...
... Elite judo athletes show increased strength in the dominant arm, but the relationship of this with SD has not been reported [49]. An imbalance in shoulder rotational strength may be related to shoulder injury [2,44]. Upper extremity injuries are the most common in all age groups of BJJ athletes [9]. ...
Background and Objectives: Neck and shoulder injuries are common in Brazilian ju-jitsu (BJJ) athletes, and scapular dyskinesis (SD) is associated with these injuries. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of SD in BJJ athletes, their neck and shoulder function and strength, and the BJJ training period. Materials and Methods: Forty-eight BJJ athletes participated in the study. Years of experience with BJJ, belt, shoulder internal and external rotation strength, neck strength, neck disability index (NDI), and SD were measured. Results: Approximately 31 BJJ athletes (64.6%) showed SD, and the nondominant arm showed a more obvious SD (n = 22, 45.8%) than the dominant arm (n = 18, 37.5%). Those with over five years of BJJ training experience showed a significantly higher rate of SD (p = 0.006) than those with less than five years of experience. Shoulder isometric internal rotation strength was significantly weaker in the obvious SD group than in the normal SD group (p = 0.014). Neck isometric strength and NDI did not differ significantly between individuals with or without SD. Conclusions: SD was common among BJJ athletes, and more experienced BJJ athletes exhibited higher rates of SD. Shoulder rotational strength was weaker with SD. Further studies are necessary on the neck and shoulders of BJJ athletes with SD.
... Verificou-se também que maioria possuía graduação de faixa azul (50%) e tempo de prática entre um e cinco anos. Esses resultados se assemelham aos encontrados por Da Silva Junior et al. (2018), em um estudo com 108 atletas de Jiu-Jitsu, no qual 55 atletas (46,29%) eram faixas brancas e azuis e com tempo médio de prática de 3,67 anos. ...
Objetivo: Identificar a prevalência de queixas álgicas em praticantes de Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), as queixas que levaram ao afastamento dos treinamentos e as queixas de lesões prévias. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo transversal, observacional e descritivo que incluiu praticantes regulares de BJJ do sexo masculino, com idades entre 18 e 40 anos. Foi elaborado um questionário para identificar o perfil dos praticantes: idade, graduação, tempo de prática da arte marcial, frequência de treinos, prática de outras atividades física e frequência. Para a investigação das queixas álgicas, foi aplicado o Questionário Nórdico de Sintomas Osteomusculares – QNSO, versão em português adaptada. Os dados foram registrados no programa Microsoft Excel 365 e foi realizada estatística descritiva. Resultados: Os 52 participantes da pesquisa possuíam idade média de 32 anos e tempo médio de 9 anos de prática de Jiu-Jitsu, 50% deles possuía graduação de faixa azul. Os praticantes apresentaram 45 relatos de queixas na semana anterior a aplicação do QNSO, 76 relatos no ano anterior, 43 relatos que levaram os praticantes a se afastarem do treinamento e 20 relatos de lesões prévias no ano anterior. Conclusão: A maior prevalência de queixas nos 7 dias prévios a aplicação do QNSO, ocorreu em joelhos, coluna lombar e quadril-coxas, e nos 12 meses prévios ocorreu em joelhos, coluna lombar e ombros. A maior prevalência que levou os praticantes ao afastamento dos treinamentos nos 12 meses prévios ocorreu em joelhos, coluna lombar e tornozelo-pés, e as queixas de lesões prévias ocorreram em joelhos, punhos e ombros.
... Thus, there is a need to study athletes in a more natural environment, such as in official competition. Additionally, examining the impact of skill level on both match characteristics and combat-induced responses is important, as athletes can differ in their approaches to training and competition (Silva et al., 2018), as well as in technical (Tirp et al., 2014) and psychological (Fernández et al., 2020) characteristics. ...
Brazilian jiujitsu (BJJ) is a grappling-based combat sport performed either with a traditional uniform, the gi, or without, known as no-gi. Differences between the two when it comes to gripping, pace, and ruleset can affect match characteristics, which has implications for how athletes approach competition. The present study investigated time-motion and technical-tactical characteristics in matches from official no-gi submission-only BJJ tournaments. The analysis included 26 regional and 26 international athletes from the light-feather to super-heavy weight class. Match characteristics did not differ between competition levels, style (guard or pass player), or weight (p > 0.05). The duration of positional dominance was similar between competition levels and styles (p > 0.05), but significantly different between winners and losers (p < 0.05; effect size (ES) = 0.39). Positional dominance also correlated with upper-body submissions (r = 0.50; p < 0.05). Interestingly, positional dominance appeared inconsequential in matches determined by lower-body submissions. In fact, athletes winning by lower-body submissions, in most cases a heel hook, exerted no positional control prior to their victory. The high-to low-intensity ratio was 1:2 and 1:1, for regional and international athletes, respectively. The standing to ground time ratio was 1:2 for both groups. In addition to the novel competition characteristics of competitive no-gi BJJ, these findings indicate that there are strategical discrepancies that precede distinctly different submission holds.
... Regarding injury prevalence, Petrisor et al 21 reported an injury prevalence of >90% among BJJ athletes, in whom more injuries were sustained in training than in competition, aligning with our findings. Silva et al 24 reported that novice athletes (white-and blue-belt athletes by definition) sustained injuries more frequently in training than in competition, and advanced athletes (purple, brown, and black belt) vice versa. According to Scoggin et al, 23 data on 8 statewide BJJ tournaments in Hawaii, USA, showed that of all orthopaedic injuries, the elbow joint was the most injury-prone site (38.9%) and the knee was the second-most frequent site of injury (15.2%). ...
Background:
Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) is a growing martial art that focuses on grappling techniques.
Purpose:
To quantify the 3-year incidence of BJJ-related injuries and detect common injury patterns as well as risk factors among those practicing BJJ. It was hypothesized that there would be a high incidence of injuries, they would be caused by submissions in sparring situations, and they would occur predominantly at the extremities.
Study Design:
Descriptive epidemiology study.
Methods:
Active BJJ athletes were invited to take an English-language online survey developed by orthopaedic surgeons together with BJJ athletes and a sports scientist. Data were recorded regarding athlete demographics, sporting activity level, injuries within the past 3 years that caused at least a 2-week time loss, injury mechanisms, and return to sport.
Results:
Overall, 1140 responses were received from 62 different countries; 88.9% of all athletes were male, and 63.9% were regular competitors. Within the investigated cohort, 1052 injuries were recorded in 784 athletes, for an injury incidence of 308 per 1000 athletes per year. The lower extremity (45.7%) and upper extremity (30.2%) were predominant sites of injury, with injuries to the knee (27.1%) being the most common. The most frequent knee injuries were meniscal injuries (n = 65), anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears (n = 36), and medial collateral ligament injuries (n = 36). ACL tears were especially associated with long time frames for return to sport. Most injuries occurred during sparring (77.6%) and were caused by submissions (29.7%) and takedowns (26.4%). Competing regularly (P = .003), older age (P < .001), and higher belt rank (P = .003) were significant risk factors for injury.
Conclusion:
Injury incidence was high among BJJ athletes surveyed, with 2 out of 3 athletes reporting at least 1 injury within a 3-year period that caused a 2-week absence from training. Most injuries occurred during sparring, and we believe that a high potential for injury reduction lies in drawing awareness to common injury patterns and sites in athletes.
ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to describe the injuries related to the practice and competition ofJiu-Jitsu (JJ) in Brazil. Athletes answered a survey regarding previous injuries sustained duringtraining or competition that resulted in missing practice or competition for at least one week. Onehundred and fifteen male athletes were included (mean age 30.2). A total of 415 injuries wererecorded. The number of injuries sustained by each athlete ranged from 0-12 (mean of 3.6). Kneewas the most affected site (18.8%), followed by the shoulder girdle (15.9%), ankle (12.3%), andhand (11%). Sprain was the most common diagnosis (31.3%). Traumatic causes were responsiblefor approximately 70% of the injuries. Results indicated a positive correlation between number ofinjuries and years JJ practice (p < 0.001), age (p < 0.01), belt graduation (p < 0.001) and level ofcompetition (p < 0.001). In conclusion, most injuries are acute traumatic musculoskeletal injuriesto the knee and shoulder, and both time exposure and intensity of JJ practice are risk factors.Keywords: Martial arts, Epidemiology, General Sports Trauma, Sports.
(PDF) Injuries among Brazilian male Jiu-Jitsu athletes. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370639833_Injuries_among_Brazilian_male_Jiu-Jitsu_athletes [accessed Oct 05 2023].
Purpose:
To evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of orthopedic injuries associated with the technical-tactical profiles of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) fighters, according to the fighters' graduation level (beginner and advanced).
Patients and methods:
Cross-sectional study, which included the participation of amateur and professional BJJ athletes, aged between 18 and 60 years and practitioners of the sport for at least six months. All answered a mixed self-reported morbidity questionnaire. Participants were divided into four groups, according to the technical-tactical profile in the fight (keeper and passer) and the fighter's graduation level (beginner and advanced), and also into four subgroups, divided by joining the groups in pairs above. Descriptive and analytical statistical procedures were used, with a level of statistical significance set at 5% (p < 0.05).
Results:
A total of 198 participants were included in the study. There was a higher prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries in advanced fighters (p<0.001), with no significant difference between the profiles of guard and passer fighters. Sprains were the most common type of injury in all studied groups and subgroups. The anatomical segments knee and shoulder, respectively, were the most affected in all groups, and both segments showed significant associations of the athletes in the advanced and guard groups.
Conclusion:
The study showed important data for creation of specifics injury prevention protocols, through the higher prevalence of injuries in athletes of the advanced profile and in the segments of the knee and shoulder, with emphasis on the guard fighters.
Objetivo: determinar a ocorrência das características das lesões musculoesqueléticas e osteoarticulares em atletas brasileiros praticantes de Jiu-Jitsu (Jiu-Jitsu). Método: Foi aplicado um questionário datado a 146 atletas de Jiu-Jitsu sobre sofridas lesões, ou autodiagnósticos clinicamente diagnosticados, duramos 12 meses. Os dados são processados por meio de estatística inferencial, sendo analisados pelo programa SPSS © 20.0. Resultados: Total nº 403 feriados reportados. Mais de dois atletas participantes deram a pesquisa em nível inicial, sendo Faixa Azul o maior tamanho da amostra (43,15%).A maior concentração de dois atletas nesta pesquisa está na faixa de 18 a 28 anos (50,68%), incluindo o grupo com maior número de lesões (53,35%). Além disso, observei que a maioria dos dois atletas corre entre 2 e 6 horas semanais (65%), sendo esse grupo o mais acometido por lesões (246 não no total). Em geral, esta é a lesão ou lesão mais comum em nossos membros inferiores. O Joelho foi a área mais acometida e a luxação do dedo com lesão mais frequente. Quanto maior que a carga horária de treinamento semanal, menor ou menor risco de lesões, é tanto maior que o desempenho do atleta, maior que a frequência de lesões. À medida que ocorrem lesões, em grande parte
Objective: to determine the occurrence and characteristics of musculoskeletal and osteoarticular injuries in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) athletes. Method: A closed questionnaire was applied to 146 BJJ athletes about the injuries suffered, self-diagnosed or clinically diagnosed, in the last 12 months. The data were analyzed using the SPSS © 20.0 program. Results: In total, 403 injuries were reported. Most of the athletes participating in this research are at the beginner level, with the blue graduation range having the largest sample size (43.15%). The age group between 18 and 28 years old (50.68%) was the one that reported the highest number of injuries (53.35%). In addition, it was observed that most athletes train between 2 and 6 hours per week (65%), with this portion of the sample being the most affected by injuries (246 in total). In general, the knee was the most affected area (25.1%) and finger dislocation was the most
frequent injury (12.7%). Among other results found, it is noteworthy that the higher the weekly training hours, the lower the risk of injuries (r = -0.85). As well as that, the older the athlete, the greater the frequency of injuries (r = 0.93). It is noteworthy that the injuries occurred, to a large extent, during training (81.5%), the majority of which were severe in nature (58%).
Introduction
The inclusion in sports tends to provide a positive impact on physical and psychological variables. However, sports practice raises exposure to the risk of musculoskeletal injuries, which must be understood in specific modalities in order to provide information related to the inherent risk of injury and evidence to suggest their own preventive strategies.
Objectives
To verify the epidemiological profile of sports injuries in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Paradesports.
Methods
This is a descriptive epidemiological study that addressed aspects related to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Paradesports. Two hundred and forty-four participants (228 men and 16 women) were included in the study. Data were obtained using an injury report form, which reported information regarding the anthropometric characteristics, origin of the disability and specific characteristics of the reported injuries. From the collected data, epidemiological measures of prevalence and clinical incidence were verified.
Results
One hundred and eight participants reported a recent injury in the last 12 months, which represents a prevalence equivalent to 37.5%. The global clinical incidence was 0.44 injuries per athlete. The prevalence and clinical incidence between sexes showed higher values in female (33%, 0.3), when compared to male (19%, 0.18). Regarding the anatomical site, it was found a higher proportion of injuries reported in lower limbs (12.3%), followed by upper limbs (9.4%) and lower incidence in the trunk region (3.5%).
THIS STUDY AIMED TO SYNTHESIZE FINDINGS CONCERNING TIME-MOTION ANALYSIS AND PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES, AND PERFORMANCE AND PERCEPTUAL EXERTION IN BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU COMBATS. THE EFFORT/PAUSE RATIO DURING MATCHES WAS 6:1 TO 13:1, WITH EFFORT PERIODS OF 85-290 SECONDS AND PAUSES OF 5-44 SECONDS. POSTMATCH LACTATE CONCENTRATION (∼10 MMOL/L) INDICATES MODERATE-TO-HIGH GLYCOLYTIC PATHWAY ACTIVATION. COMBATS TEND TO GENERATE CELL DAMAGE, MAINLY AFTER SUCCESSIVE BOUTS. RESULTS OF LOWER LIMB PERFORMANCE DIFFER AMONG STUDIES; HOWEVER, HANDGRIP STRENGTH IS REDUCED AFTER MATCHES. COMBATS ARE CLASSIFIED AS "HARD," ALTHOUGH FOREARMS, FINGERS, WRIST, AND BICEPS BRACHII ARE THE MOST REPORTED FATIGUE AREAS.
Context:
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is rapidly growing in popularity in the United States and abroad. This combat sport joins athletes from a wide variety of martial art disciplines, each with characteristic and distinguishing injury profiles, together in competition. Because of increasing participation by professionals and amateurs alike, injuries sustained by MMA athletes have been on the rise.
Evidence acquisition:
A review of relevant publications using the search term mixed martial arts and each of its component combat sports (eg, Muay Thai, Brazilian jiu-jitsu) from 1980 through 2015 was completed using PubMed and Google Scholar.
Study design:
Clinical review.
Level of evidence:
Level 5.
Results:
The majority of studies on MMA injuries evaluate those sustained during competition, which range in incidence from 22.9 to 28.6 per 100 fight-participations. Striking-predominant disciplines such as boxing, karate, and Muay Thai have high rates of head and facial injuries, whereas submission-predominant disciplines such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo, and wrestling have high rates of joint injuries.
Conclusion:
Numerous studies have evaluated injuries in athletes who participate in MMA and its component disciplines during competition but much remains to be discovered about injuries sustained during training and in specific patient populations such as adolescents and women.
Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (BJJ) is a grappling combat sport that athletes, lying (guard fighter) or kneeling (pass fighter) on the mat, attempt to force their opponents to submit. BJJ practices may result in muscular imbalances, which increase the risk of injury. Instead, the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is an evaluation routine that could be related to injury incidence, seeks to detect muscular imbalance and movement dysfunction. Thus, the aim of the study was to investigate the injury profile and the FMS score and their relationship, with consideration for the BJJ fight style. Sports injuries were recorded in the last 12 months of 33 BJJ athletes, and the statistics were applied to a routine evaluation FMS, and a score of 14 points or less was considered low performance in FMS. We used a logistic regression, effect size (ES) was calculated and 5% was assumed as statistical significance level. Pass fighters showed a higher percentage of injuries on thorax (24.24%) in comparison to guard fighters (6.67%, p=0.01). Upper limbs were the most injured part of the body (χ=36.7; p<0.001), and made up 79% of the injuries that occurred in training sessions (χ=14.53; p<0.001). Despite the lack of statistical differences in the FMS performance between guard and pass fighters (t=1.97; p=0.05), its magnitude was considered medium (ES=0.77). There was an association between FMS and injury presence (χ = 4.95; p = 0.03). Considering the FMS score as a predictor and the presence or absence of injury as the dependent variable, the data met a Wald coefficient of 4.55, p=0.03 and Exp (B)=5.71. The study found that almost half of the sample presented upper limbs injuries and a quarter injured lower limbs in the last year. Poor FMS score was observed and lower scores in the FMS were associated with higher risk of injury in BJJ athletes.
There has been no comprehensive injury report of elite-level amateur boxers in competition and training. We reviewed injuries in training and competition in the Great Britain (GB) amateur boxing squad between 2005 and 2009.
Longitudinal, prospective injury surveillance over 5 years of the GB boxing squad from 2005 to 2009. 66 boxers passed through the squad. The location, region affected, description, and the duration of each injury were recorded by the team doctor and team physiotherapist. We recorded whether the injury occurred during competition or training, and also whether it was a new or a recurrent injury. The injury rate during competition was calculated as the number of injuries per 1000 h.
More injuries affected the hand than any other body location. This was the case overall, in training and competition individually, and for both new and recurrent injuries. More injuries occurred during training than during competition, and most injuries were new rather than recurrent. Total injury rate during competition was 828 per 1000 h and hand injury rate in competition was 302 injuries per 1000 h. Hand injury rate in competition was significantly higher than at the other locations. The incidence of concussion is comparatively low.
Injury prevention should aim to protect the hands and wrists of elite amateur boxers.
Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.
Background:
Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) is a unique style of martial arts with rapid growth in the United States and internationally. Although studies have examined injuries in other martial arts and combat sports, to date, no published medical study has examined injuries in BJJ competitions.
Purpose:
(1) To estimate the incidence of injuries in BJJ competitions and (2) to identify and describe the types and mechanisms of injuries associated with competitive BJJ.
Study Design:
Descriptive epidemiology study.
Methods:
Injury data were obtained from records of on-site medical coverage at 8 statewide BJJ tournaments in Hawaii, USA, between 2005 and 2011.
Results:
The identified injury incidence on the day of matches was 9.2 per 1000 exposures (46 injuries out of 5022 exposures, ie, match participations). Orthopaedic injuries were the most common and accounted for 78% of all injuries (n = 36), followed by costochondral or rib injuries (n = 7) and lacerations requiring medical care (n = 3). The elbow was found to be the joint most commonly injured during BJJ competitions, with the arm bar being the most common mechanism. We propose that this BJJ-specific injury mechanism, the “arm bar,” be recognized as another mechanism of hyperextension injury to the elbow in sports.
Conclusion:
Comparison of the BJJ injury data with injury data reported for judo, taekwondo, wrestling, and mixed martial arts showed that BJJ competitors were at substantially lower risk of injury compared with these other sports. With orthopaedic injuries being most common and the elbow being the area most vulnerable to injury in BJJ, it is important that participants, referees, and physicians be properly educated about the unique mechanisms of injury that can occur, particularly to the elbow.
Background & Study Aim: Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) is gaining thousands of practitioners in all countries; however, there is a lack of scientific research related to this sport. We wanted to establish the indicators approached by BJJ athletes to sporting excellence, which is the reason why we divided the subjects into two groups: experts and novices. Additionally, the aim of this study was to knowledge about the body composition, and similarities and differences in the performance of BJJ athletes focusing on two variables: isometric hand grip and explosive strength leg. Material & Methods: Fifty six BJJ players, who were contestants in the European Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2013 in Lisbon (Portugal), took part in this study. Novice group (n=24; age: 29.9±5.8 yrs), Expert group (n=32; age: 30.5±4.7 yrs). Body mass was measured with Bioimpedance, and handgrip strength was measured with a dynamometer. Explosive strength leg was measured from a force platform with the Countermovement Jump (CMJ) test. Differences between experts and novices were established with the t Student’s test or Mann-Whitney U test for the parametric and non-parametric variables respectively. Results: Experts obtained significant differences over novices on isometric hand grip strength in both hands; as for the variables of CMJ, significant differences were found in Height of jump, peak power, velocity at peak power and average power. Conclusions: BJJ athletes with higher experience, training, and level (expert group) have more adaptations and improvements than the novice group. This can be seen by their higher records in isometric handgrip and the higher explosive strength in their legs.
Context:
Volleyball players are reported to have shoulder strength imbalances. Previous authors have primarily investigated small samples of male players at a single skill level, without considering playing position, and with inconsistent findings.
Objective:
To evaluate shoulder strength asymmetry and a history of shoulder injury in a large sample of professional volleyball players of both sexes across different playing positions and skill levels.
Design:
Descriptive laboratory study.
Patients or other participants:
A sample of 183 volleyball players (99 men, 84 women).
Main outcome measure(s):
We assessed shoulder internal-rotator and external-rotator concentric strength at 60°/s using an isokinetic dynamometer and dominant-nondominant differences in shoulder strength and strength ratios using repeated-measures analyses of variance. Peak torque was normalized for body mass and external-rotation/internal-rotation concentric strength.
Results:
Internal-rotation strength was asymmetric in favor of the dominant side in both sexes, regardless of previous shoulder injury status. Male volleyball players had a lower shoulder strength ratio on the dominant side, regardless of previous shoulder injury status. However, this finding was valid only when hand dominance was taken into account. Female volleyball players playing at a higher level (ie, first versus second division) were 3.43 times more likely to have an abnormal strength ratio. Playing position was not associated with an abnormal shoulder strength ratio or strength asymmetry.
Conclusions:
In male volleyball players, the external-rotation/internal-rotation strength ratio of the dominant shoulder was lower, regardless of playing position, skill level, or a previous shoulder injury. In female players, the ratio was less only in those at a higher skill level. Although speculative, these findings generally suggest that female volleyball players could have a lower risk of developing shoulder-related problems than male volleyball players. Isokinetic shoulder testing may reveal important information about the possible risk factors for shoulder injuries, so we recommend including it in the functional screening of volleyball players.
Context:
Brazilian jiujitsu is a modern combat martial art that uses joint locks to submit an opponent and achieve victory. This form of martial art is a relatively young but rapidly growing combat sport worldwide.
Objective:
To determine the cumulative injury incidence and risk of injury by belt rank and body region at an international-level Brazilian jiujitsu tournament.
Design:
Descriptive epidemiology study.
Setting:
World Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship 2009 in Long Beach, California.
Patients or other participants:
We monitored 951 athletes (age range, 18-50 years) enrolled to compete in the World Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship 2009.
Intervention(s):
Fighters were categorized by belt level for group comparisons (belt experience). Incidence rates per 1000 athlete-exposures (AEs) and incidence rate ratios were compared by belt rank.
Main outcome measure(s):
Incidence rates and incidence rate ratios.
Results:
During the tournament, 1606 AEs and 62 total injuries were reported. Of these injuries, 40 affected the joints, for an overall incidence rate of 24.9 per 1000 AEs. The joint incidence rate by belt rank was 21.5 per 1000 AEs for blue, 21.3 per 1000 AEs for purple, 25.2 per 1000 AEs for brown, and 35.1 per 1000 AEs for black. We found no differences for incidence rate ratios of joint injury among individual belt groups (P > .05). More experienced (brown belt and black belt) competitors had a higher injury risk than the less experienced (blue belt and purple belt) competitors; however, the difference was not significant (incidence rate ratio = 1.65, 95% confidence interval = 0.9, 2.9; P = .06). The incidence of joint injury was highest at the knee (7.5 per 1000 AEs) and elbow (7.5 per 1000 AEs).
Conclusions:
The data from this international Brazilian jiujitsu tournament indicated that the risk of joint injury was similar among belt ranks or experience during this Brazilian jiujitsu competition. The knee and elbow were the joints most susceptible to injury. Future investigation of injury mechanism is warranted to develop strategies to reduce potential risk factors attributed to injury.
The aim of this study was to analyze performance, time structure, technical actions, and perceptual responses in Brazilian jiu-jitsu athletes during a simulated competition. For this purpose, 10 athletes were analyzed in a simulated competition (four matches of 10 min). Physical tests and scales of the perception of effort and recovery were applied. The matches were recorded for the purpose of technical-tactical analysis and to determine the time structure. The main results show that in the simulated competition, reaction time (F2,5; 17,6=2.7; P=0.087; η=0.28) and flexibility (F7,63=1.5; P=0.172; η=0,15) were unchanged across the matches. An analysis of variance showed a significant difference for grip endurance with use of the kimono (F2,0; 15,9=8.1; P=0.004; η=0.50), which was not confirmed by the Bonferroni test. Jump height indicated postactivation potentiation after match 2 (F7,63=3.5; P=0.003; η=0.28). The maximal isometric handgrip strength in the dominant hand (F3,2; 28,6=2.9; P=0.049; η=0,24) and in the non-dominant hand (F7,63=3.8; P=0.002; η=0.30) showed a decline after matches 3 and 4. Although these data indicate the onset of fatigue, the effort/pause ratio of the matches was not altered (F3,12=0.6; P=0.624; η=0.13). The perceptions of effort (F3,27=0.9; P=0.469; η=0.09) and recovery (F1,9; 17,0=2.4; P=0.125; η=0.21) and the degree of fatigue reported (F1,5; 13,8=0.5; P=0.588; η=0.05) did not change during the simulated competition. Thus, it may be concluded that the execution of successive matches causes a decline in maximal isometric handgrip strength. No changes in the time structure of the matches or in the perceptual responses were observed.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) is a grappling based combat sport which has grown considerably in popularity in recent years. Despite this increased interest, there has been no proposed training strategies based on primary physiological data gathered from BJJ athletes. Presented here is a detailed periodized training plan for both the elite and sub-elite BJJ competitor which draws upon recent primary research into the sport. This strategy considers the effective pairing of physiologically compatible resistance and endurance training modalities, in addition to the design of energy system specific conditioning tasks. Also discussed are methods for managing the training load to minimize the impact of fatigue and ensure optimal performance for competition.