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Spinal Injuries in Combat Sports

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Spinal Injuries and Conditions in Young Athletes

Part of the book series: Contemporary Pediatric and Adolescent Sports Medicine ((PASM))

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Abstract

Combat sports attract participants of all ages, with more than 6 million children involved in martial arts in the USA and more than 18,000 youths under 19 years of age registered with USA Boxing. Some styles such as judo have approximately 75 % representation by children under 15 years of age, while youth participation in other martial arts such as karate has doubled over the past decade.

The key to the diagnosis and management of spine injuries in the young athlete in combat sports is to have a clear understanding of the unique demands of each discipline. Acute injuries in grappling and throwing sports, often the result of throws or takedowns, may result from landing in a vulnerable position on the mat or from rotational motions during contact with an opponent. In the striking sports, risk of acute injury will vary depending on the degree of contact that is permitted. Variations in training and fighting stances among disciplines may also contribute to overuse injuries. The two unifying themes for prevention of injuries to the spine in combat sports are careful attention to correct technique and strict adherence to rules of safety in place in each sport.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Legacy Sport Medicine, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

    Merrilee Zetaruk MD, FRCPC, Dip Sport Medicine

Authors
  1. Merrilee Zetaruk MD, FRCPC, Dip Sport Medicine
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Merrilee Zetaruk MD, FRCPC, Dip Sport Medicine .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Sports Medicine, Childrens Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Lyle Micheli

  2. Division of Sports Medicine, Childrens Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Cynthia Stein

  3. Division of Sports Medicine, Childrens Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Michael O'Brien

  4. Division of Sports Medicine, Childrens Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Pierre d’Hemecourt

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Zetaruk, M. (2014). Spinal Injuries in Combat Sports. In: Micheli, L., Stein, C., O'Brien, M., d’Hemecourt, P. (eds) Spinal Injuries and Conditions in Young Athletes. Contemporary Pediatric and Adolescent Sports Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4753-5_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4753-5_11

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-4752-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-4753-5

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