Head Injuries in Contact Sports – Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2025.38.57915Keywords
head injuries, contact sport, prevention, concussion, traumatic encephalopathyAbstract
Head injuries in athletes are an increasingly common issue, not only in professional sports but also due to the growing number of amateurs participating in contact sports. These sports include not only martial arts such as boxing, judo, or MMA but also team sports, including some of the most popular ones like soccer, rugby, American football, and hockey.
The aim of this paper is to review the available literature on the frequency and mechanisms of head and neck injuries in various sports, as well as to propose possible methods for preventing these injuries and rehabilitation after they occur. The article discusses both acute and chronic injuries, as well as long-term health consequences. It highlights the need for further research in the field of biomechanics, athlete monitoring, and the development of effective health protection strategies for athletes.
The article was prepared by analyzing multiple databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, and Elsevier.
Conclusions: There is also a lack of conclusive evidence on the mechanisms behind these injuries, which makes it difficult to develop programs to reduce the frequency of neurological injuries. Many years of systematic research and athlete monitoring, with detailed documentation of all injuries, are needed. Additionally, further biomechanical analyses are required to understand the forces acting on athletes and how well protective equipment performs. Only after obtaining such results it will be possible to prepare better strategies to protect the health and life of athletes in these disciplines.
References
Beis K, Tsaklis P, Pieter W, et al. Taekwondo competition inj
Oler M, Tomson W, Pepe H, et al. Morbidity and mortality in the martial arts: a warning. J Trauma 1991;31(2):251–3.
Pieter W, Bercades L, Heijmans J. Competition injuries in Olympic taekwondo. Kinesiology 1998;30:22–30
Pieter W, Zemper E. Injury rates in children participating in taekwondo competition. J Trauma 1997;43(1):89–95.
Pieter W, Zemper E. Incidence of reported cerebral concussion in adult taekwondo athletes. J R Soc Health 1998;118(5):272–9
Koh J, de Freitas T, Watkinson E. Injuries at the 14th World Taekwondo Championships in 1999. International Journal of Applied Sports Sciences 2001;13(1):33–48
Pieter W, van Ryssegem G, Lufting R, et al. Injury situation and injury mechanism at the 1993 European Taekwondo Cup. Journal of Human Movement Studies 1995;28:1–24.
Koh J, Cassidy JD. Incidence study of head blows and concussions in competitive taekwondo. Clin J Sport Med 2004;14:72–9.
Stricevic M, Patel M, Okazaki T, et al. Karate: historical perspective and injuries sustained in national and international tournament competitions. Am J Sports Med 1983;11(6): 320–4
Destombe C, Lejeune L, Guillodo Y, et al. Incidence and nature of karate injuries. Joint Bone Spine 2006;73:182–8.
Zetaruk M, Violan M, Zurakowski D, et al. Injuries in martial arts: a comparison of five styles. Br J Sports Med 2005;39:29–33.
Critchley G, Mannion S, Meredith C. Injury rates in Shotokan karate. Br J Sports Med 1999;33:174–7.
McLatchie G, Davies J, Caulley J. Injuries in karateda case for medical control. J Trauma 1980;2:956–8.
Birrer R. Trauma epidemiology in the martial arts. The results of an 18-year international survey. Am J Sports Med 1996;24(Supp 6):S72–9
Buschbacher R, Shay T. Martial arts. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am 1999;10(1):35–47
Birrer R, Birrer C. Unreported injuries in the martial arts. Br J Sports Med 1983;17(2): 131–4.
Welch M, Sitler M, Kroeten H. Boxing injuries from an instructional program. Phys Sportsmed 1986;14(9):81–9.
Porter M, O’Brien M. Incidence and severity of injuries resulting from amateur boxing in Ireland. Clin J Sport Med 1996;6(2):97–101
McCown I. Boxing injuries. Am J Surg 1958;98:509–16
Jordan B, Campbell E. Acute injuries among professional boxers in New York: a two-year survey. Phys Sportsmed 1988;16(1):87–91.
Zazryn T, Cameron P, McCrory P. A prospective cohort study of injury in amateur and professional boxing. Br J Sports Med 2006;40(8):670–4.
Pieter W, Zemper E. Head and neck injuries in young taekwondo athletes. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 1999;39:147–53.
McLatchie G, Commandre F, Zakarian H, et al. Injuries in the martial arts. In: Renstrom P, editor. Clinical practice of sports injury prevention and care. Oxford (England): Blackwell Scientific Publications; 1994. p. 609–23.
McLatchie G, Morris E. Prevention of karate injuriesda progress report. Br J Sports Med 1977;11:78–82.
Schmidt-Olsen S, Kallund Jensen S, Mortensen V. Amateur boxing in Denmark. The effect of some preventive measures. Am J Sports Med 1990;18(1):98–100.
Tuominen M. A Study of Injuries in the Sport of Karate. Br J Sports Med 1994;28(3):161–5.
Unterharnscheidt F. A neurologist’s reflections on boxing. 1: Impact mechanics in boxing and injuries other than central nervous system damage. Rev Neurol 1995;23(121): 661–74
Pieter W, Zemper E. Head and neck injuries in young taekwondo athletes. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 1999;39:147–53
Burke D, Barfoot K, Bryant S, et al. Effect of implementation of safety measures in tae kwon do competition. Br J Sports Med 2003;37:401–4.
Macan J, Bundalo-Vrbanac D, Romic G. Effects of the new karate rules on the incidence and distribution of injuries. Br J Sports Med 2006;40:326–30.
Jackson F, Earle K, Beamer Y, et al. Blunt head injuries incurred by marine recruits in hand-to-hand combat (judo training). Mil Med 1967;132(10):803–8
Unterharnscheidt F. A neurologist’s reflection on boxing. 3:Vascular injuries. Revision Neurology 1995;23(122):847–55.
Cantu R. Head injuries in sport. Br J Sports Med 1996;30(4):289–96.
DeVera-Reyes J. Three cases of chronic subdural hematoma caused by the practice of judo. Actas Luso Esp Neurol Psiquiatr 1970;29:53–6.
Nakamura N. Judo and karateddo. In: Schneider R, Kennedy J, Plant M, editors. Sports injuries; mechanisms, prevention and treatment. Baltimore (MD): Williams & Wilkins; 1985. p. 417–30.
Koiwai E. Fatalities associated with judo. Phys Sportsmed 1981;9:61–6
McCrory P, Zazryn T, Cameron C. The evidence for chronic traumatic encephalopathy in boxing. Sports Med 2007;37(6):467–76
Birrer R. Martial arts. In: Jordan B, editor. Sports neurology. 2nd edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven Publishers; 1998. p. 423–8.
Wilkerson L. Martial arts injuries. J Am Osteopath Assoc 1997;97(4):221–6.
Koh J, de Freitas T, Watkinson E. Injuries at the 14th World Taekwondo Championships in 1999. International Journal of Applied Sports Sciences 2001;13(1):33–48.
Pary L, Rodnitzky R. Traumatic internal carotid artery dissection associated with taekwondo. Neurology 2003;60(8):1392–3.
Lannuzel A, Moulin T, Amsallem S, et al. Vertebra-artery dissection following a judo session: a case report. Neuropediatrics 1994;25:106–8.
Malek A, Halbach V, Phatouros C, et al. Endovascular treatment of a ruptured intracranial dissecting vertebral aneurysm in a kickboxer. J Trauma 2000;48(1):143–5.
Zazryn T, Finch C, McCrory P. A 16-year study of injuries to professional boxers in the state of Victoria, Australia. Br J Sports Med 2003;37:321–4
Estwanik J, Boitano M, Ari N. Amateur boxing injuries at the 1981 and 1982 USA/ABF national championships. Phys Sportsmed 1984;12:123–8.
Larsson L, Melin K, Nordstrom-Ohrberg G, et al. Acute head injuries in boxers: clinical and electroencephalographic studies. Acta Psychiatr Neurol Scand 1954; 95(Suppl):1–42
Jordan B, Voy R, Stone J. Amateur boxing injuries at the US Olympic Training Center. Phys Sportsmed 1990;18(2):81–90.
Arriaza R, Leyes M. Injury profile in competitive karate: prospective analysis of three consecutive World Karate Championships. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2005; 13:603–7
McLatchie G. Analysis of karate injuries sustained in 295 contests. Injury 1976;8(2):132–4
Destombe C, Lejeune L, Guillodo Y, et al. Incidence and nature of karate injuries. Joint Bone Spine 2006;73:182–8
Zemper E, Pieter W. Injury rates during the 1988 US Olympic team trials for taekwondo. Br J Sports Med 1989;23(3):161–4.
Kazemi M, Pieter W. Injuries at a Canadian National Taekwondo Championships: a prospective study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2004;5:22–9.
Zazryn T, Finch C, McCrory P. A 16-year study of injuries to professional kickboxers in the state of Victoria, Australia. Br J Sports Med 2003;37(5):448–51
Buse G, Wood R. Safety profile of amateur kickboxing among military and civilian competitors. Mil Med 2006;171(5):443–7
Birrer R. Trauma epidemiology in the martial arts. The results of an 18-year international survey. Am J Sports Med 1996;24(Supp 6):S72–9.
Buschbacher R, Shay T. Martial arts. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am 1999;10(1):35–47
Sironi V, Scotti G, Ravagnati L, et al. CT-scan and EEG findings in professional pugilists: Early detection of cerebral atrophy in young boxers. J Neurosurg Sci 1982;26:165–8.
Jordan B, Jahre C, Hauser W, et al. CT of 338 active professional boxers. Neuroradiology 1992;185:509–12.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Kacper Hoksa, Aleksandra Broda, Krzysztof Jodłowski , Ewa Dubniewicz, Paula Majewska, Alicja Staszek, Wiktoria Łoskot, Mateusz Matczak, Jan Szwech, Karol Jasiński
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Stats
Number of views and downloads: 53
Number of citations: 0
