New Trainee- Question about shins

[dlearnhardt]

I just started muay thai training this week. This is also my first martial arts training. I have been to two classes and had a blast both times but I am concerned about some things I have read about shin damage. I do not plan to step in the ring; I am training to stay and shape and because it is a hell of a lot more fun to kick and punch than it is to run on the treadmill.

Do I need to worry about blood clots or any other long term damage from kicking the pads?

[ryanhall]

As far as I know, kicking the pads won't give you medical problems unless you have pretty serious issues ahead of time. As far as serious shin conditioning for Thai kicks goes, I don't know how good it can be for you in the long term. Incidentally, I hear that bone cancer is common in Thailand (from conditioning). You have to weigh the pros and cons. If you condition your shins and kick particularly hard, when you tag someone it will feel like you gave them a bat to the thigh. Also, you will be able to block leg kicks. The cons are pretty self-evident. You kill a lot of nerves on your shins and calcification of your shins MAY or may not cause some unforeseeable health issue in the distant future. Back to your initial question: no. Kick the pads and you should be OK. Hope I helped.

[Khun Kao]

"Incidentally, I hear that bone cancer is common in Thailand (from conditioning)."

I have heard all kinds of myths and horror stories regarding the long-term health problems from Muay Thai shin conditioning, but this is the one that completely mystifies me. I have heard this same claim from time-to-time.

Do you have any data to back this up? Is there an article, website, anything to support this claim? I personally do not see how this is even possible. My very limited understanding of how cancer works is that an agent (carcinogen-sp?) must be introduced to the body. I don't see how conditioning your shins has any bearing on the introduction of a cancer-causing agent to the body.

UNLESS.....

THAI LINIMENT IS THE CULPRIT!!!!!!!!

EVERYONE!!! STOP USING THAI LINIMENT!!! IT CAUSE'S CANCER!!!!!!

LOL.

In all seriousness, I have not heard of any long-term health issues regarding the conditioning of your shins that have been backed up with actual medical documentation to support it. And I have LOOKED for it! Until that day comes, kick the bags to your hearts content.

Khun Kao

[dave_UK_MT]

Don't let it worry you at all.

Compare the number of deaths related to obesity and/or unhealthy living to those of bone cancer caused by kicking banana trees.

I know which group I'd rather be in.





I'm off to get some banans

[Lost Ronin]

A puzzling situation...

I've never really heard of getting cancer from shin training. My Karate master mentioned that he had a higher chance of getting arthritis because of all the forearm and shin conditioning that he did during his youth. I don't know much about cancer, but I doubt you can get it from training your shins... I'm not a doctor, so I'm kinda confused over this subject . But isn't calcium supposed to help against cancer?

[Khun Kao]

I've always been mystified by the claim that forearm and shin conditioning leads to arthritis, too. If I'm correct, isn't arthritis a condition of the joints? The shin and forearms are not joints...

Khun Kao

[eXcessiveForce]

I have seen some medical info regarding hand conditioning and arthritis.

As for blood clots. If you were to sustain a large bruise it is possible that clotted blood from that bruise can enter the blood stream and go the lung or brain and lead to strokes or death. This goes for all large bruises and is not specific to bruises sustained in conditioning.

[dlearnhardt]

Thanks for all of the input. This kind of thing never even crossed my mind before I started training but after my first few classes I developed some pretty good bruises on my shins (from the pads) and on my arms (from holding the pads for someone else). So it got me thinking. Do the bruises go away once your bones get used to it or will I continually walk around like I just got my butt kicked?

[retired]

callis will form on your shins & the nerves will deaden enabling you to kick harder without pain, your forearms will get bigger & stonger from holding the pads if held correctlly - tense stomach & breath out at moment of impact and tense arms in the same way as twisting the throttle on a bike but away from you (only way i can think of describing it?) & lean in pad if kick to heavy.

[retired]

Martial arts injuries.

The results of a five year national survey.

Birrer RB, Halbrook SP. 12/12/2002

Department of Family Practice, Geisenger Medical Center, Danville, PA 17822.
A 5 year national survey of martial arts was done using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS). Seventy-four percent of the injuries involved the extremities and 95% were mild to moderate in nature. Even though most of the injury types were contusions/abrasions (36%). lacerations (14%), and sprains/strains (28%), 15% were dislocations and fractures. Five percent of all injuries were severe, and there were 18 hospitalizations. There were no deaths. Weapon-related injuries were rare and never serious. Overall, the risk of serious injury in the sport was found to be low, especially when compared to other contact sports.

This article was provided by .. !http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...&dopt=Abstract