MuayThai injuries

[rickyparis]

I am curious about what people know of serious MuayThai fighter injuries? What injuries are common? What are uncommon?

I've heard of some bizarre stuff. For instance, I know of someone who claims to have a friend who died of "shin cancer" brought on by MuayThai conditioning.

But a recent discussion on another message board brought up the issue of blood clots in the leg supposedly brought on by conditioning the legs for kicks. I'm especially interested in hearing from SportMuayThai on this topic.

What are some of the common and not so common injuries amongst active Thai Boxers, and what are some of the health issues that are common amongst retired fighters?

I've heard some biazarre claims that make little sense (like the bone cancer story) and that Thai Boxers bones become brittle later in life, and I've heard of ones that make perfect sense such as arthritis....

In my own experience, I have lingering issues despite retiring from the ring 2 years ago. I have a "gimpy" ankles. I have to be extra careful in how I kick or I suddenly find myself with a sprained ankle. I have an injury to my right rotator cuff. My left hand is all kinds of jacked up and is almost assuredly going to be arthritic. I've broken it once, and really sprained the fingers and wrist badly (heck, right hand, too!). For a time, I was experiencing the symptoms of TMJ, however investing in a better mouthpiece has actually resolved this issue (Thank GOD!). I've seen broken teeth, torn ACL's, strained necks, broken noses, broken arms....

But we see some of the less common injuries... Broken bones, for instance. How often do people break their arms, legs, ribs, hands, feet, in the ring or training in Thailand? I know of a fighter who had his neck broken in the ring by a kick a number of years ago. While we know that these injuries are not the norm, they still occur. But at what frequency?

I don't mean this discussion to discourage MT training. Face it, anyone with 1/2 a brain realizes that we are participating in a contact sport. Injuries happen and are an accepted risk. But lets be realistic, we know that injuries are often downplayed, and not readily discussed.

How about it? What is everyones experience with MT injuries?

Man I donjn´t have so much experience on MT though I did some , I´ve done some boxing , and i´d tellyou that in MT you get less punish in the face , But LEt´s face it , if you want to dive , you´ll get wet , and about your Wrists , Do you really ever tried a good straping ? Some of us only learn the hard way.

[retired]

Much more dangerous than boxing, only the gloves hit you in the head.......

[baka]

i recently got two injuries doctors say i can't train till i heal up. broken rib on left side, the fourth from bottom, and right heel tendon badly stratched. the latter is the one that worries me coz it's swollen and gets no smaller and it's been almost a month. i can't kick with my right foot (push kick drills is the only training i can allow), i tried a light roundhouse once and it hurted like hell. it is a common thing for such an injury?

[retired]

Yeah take it easy & get some rest.

[thai_me]

I have never fought in the ring, only trained but I had a deviated septum due to fighting outside the ring. I got this corrected through surgery, but I didnt really notice any difference. Its not a very comfortable procedure to have because your nose IS right in the middle of your face, but when it was finished, my lovely girlfreind said "its more bent now than it was before"...lol.

The hardest part about this surgery (apart from when they pulled out the packing!!!) was the trying not to laugh while waiting for it to heel. Friends can be so cruel.....lol.