Overlap of concussion and weight cut symptoms studied in combat sports

[Karl_Hungus]

New research is being conducted on the topic of concussions in MMA, especially in relation to weight cutting. A new study says that there is a connection between "extreme weight cutting and concussions." The article can explain it better than I can, so I will just point you here. Erik Magraken runs a combat sports law blog, and he has brought this new information to our attention.

...a recent paper was published in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine addressing the intersection of two of the biggest health hazards in combat sports, harm from rapid extreme weight cutting and concussions.

In the research, titled A Survey of Combat Athletes’ Rapid Weight Loss Practices and Evaluation of the Relationship With Concussion Symptom Recall, 132 combat sports athletes were surveyed documenting various topics including concussion history, weight cut practices, symptoms following concussion, and symptoms during rapid extreme weight cuts.

The authors found that many of the reported symptoms of concussion mirrored symptoms athletes experienced during weight-cutting practices. They also noted that many athletes reported "a deterioration and lengthening of concussion symptoms" while they were undergoing rapid weight cuts.

This led the authors to observe that "rapid weight loss and concussion symptoms are strongly associated" and further that "concussion symptoms should be monitored alongside hydration status to avoid any compound effects of prior RWL on the interpretation of concussion assessments and to avoid potential misdiagnoses among combat athletes."

The abstract of the study states that the kind of weight loss that MMA athletes endure is strongly associated with concussion symptoms:

Conclusions:
Rapid weight loss and concussion symptoms are strongly associated, with most of the athletes reporting a deterioration of concussion symptoms during a WC. The results indicate that concussion symptoms should be monitored alongside hydration status to avoid any compound effects of prior RWL on the interpretation of concussion assessments and to avoid potential misdiagnoses among combat athletes.

What implications do you think this might have for the sport, Sherdoggers?

 

[avenue94]

What implications do you think this might have for the sport, Sherdoggers?

Until a fighter in a major promotion dies, none. Too much money to be made at the moment to worry about it.

 

[ifindgifsforjackslack]

If I wasn’t a 6’8 dude rocking 4% body fat this would bother me. But inferior men fighting for a superiors entertainment isn’t anything new. I say just bleed

 

[Reign009]

If I wasn’t a 6’8 dude rocking 4% body fat this would bother me. But inferior men fighting for a superiors entertainment isn’t anything new. I say just bleed

 

[Dingaling]

Dan Hooker just showed this

 

[VinceArch]

This has been something I believe most have known dating back to the early 2000's.

 

[ifindgifsforjackslack]

 

[GilErick]

My guess is it’s comes from US culture to cut weight for wresting where they don’t get punched. But weight cut doesn’t translate well to MMA. Major organisations and athletic commissions need to get it.
Who cares if khamzat burns happened at welterweight or LHW to be honest

 

[gunlok]

This has been something I believe most have known dating back to the early 2000's.

in early 2000's most athletes would just "shake it off" after the concussion and keep going

 

[panem-et-circenses]

We’ve seen so many bad weight-cuts where the fighter looks like he could be KO’d by a shove. If you have a bunch of extreme weight cuts in a career, you can obviously hurt yourself and get into bad situations which accumulate and shorten your career.

 

[JoshR86]

My guess is it’s comes from US culture to cut weight for wresting where they don’t get punched. But weight cut doesn’t translate well to MMA. Major organisations and athletic commissions need to get it.
Who cares if khamzat burns happened at welterweight or LHW to be honest

Amateur wrestling has same day weigh ins, with athletes competing several hours after weigh ins. Similar to weigh ins happening just prior to a UFC event.

Today's fights have 36 hours to rehydrate, compared to wrestling 2-3 hours.

The more time between weigh ins and competition the greater the weight cuts.

 

[El Panteron]

Sadly legislators absolutely do not care about the results of psychiatric or psychological research or you'd be looking at a vastly different society.

 

[kuroro]

If I wasn’t a 6’8 dude rocking 4% body fat this would bother me. But inferior men fighting for a superiors entertainment isn’t anything new. I say just bleed

but it's these onerous weight cutting requirements that prevent sherdoggers from competing in MMA in the first place. how can we cut to 265 when we're completely jacked at 350?

 

[GilErick]

Amateur wrestling has same day weigh ins, with athletes competing several hours after weigh ins. Similar to weigh ins happening just prior to a UFC event.

Today's fights have 36 hours to rehydrate, compared to wrestling 2-3 hours.

The more time between weigh ins and competition the greater the weight cuts.

Yes 36 hours is better than 2 or 3 but is it enough ?
Maybe to recover fully a human body would need 4 or 5 days that’s what the study should have looked at. Then you see where it gets weird, it’s no longer about fighting only but also about ability to cut weight which has nothing to do with fighting lol.
It’s like adding to a marathon race a cupcake cooking contest for all contenders.

 

[JoshR86]

Yes 36 hours is better than 2 or 3 but is it enough ?
Maybe to recover fully a human body would need 4 or 5 days that’s what the study should have looked at. Then you see where it gets weird, it’s no longer about fighting only but also about ability to cut weight which has nothing to do with fighting lol.
It’s like adding to a marathon race a cupcake cooking contest for all contenders.

Went over your head.

If a fighter has 36 hours to rehydrate, he will cut far more weight than a fighter who basically has to start warming up because his match is about yo start.

Increasing rehydration time results in more severe Weight cuts.

The issue with weight cuts isn't lack of rehydration, it is the severe dehydration leading up to it.

 

[GilErick]

Went over your head.

If a fighter has 36 hours to rehydrate, he will cut far more weight than a fighter who basically has to start warming up because his match is about yo start.

Increasing rehydration time results in more severe Weight cuts.

The issue with weight cuts isn't lack of rehydration, it is the severe dehydration leading up to it.

I get it you correct

 

[VinceArch]

in early 2000's most athletes would just "shake it off" after the concussion and keep going

Your point?

 

[CorninginChristianburg]

I mean it's a big issue, and we need more studies to be done so that they can be publicized more and get the truth out. Another thing fighters often do after fights is to go out and drink. But there's evidence that if you drink after taking concussive blows, you will exacerbate the brain damage.

So imagine a fighter who cuts a bunch of weight, either gets knocked out or even takes a series of strong concussive blows to the head (even in a win), and then goes out and parties. That's a recipe for terrible brain health. We need more publications and publicity on these phenomena so that fighters will be able to educate themselves and avoid these behaviors.

 

[Leonard Haid]

New research is being conducted on the topic of concussions in MMA, especially in relation to weight cutting. A new study says that there is a connection between "extreme weight cutting and concussions." The article can explain it better than I can, so I will just point you here. Erik Magraken runs a combat sports law blog, and he has brought this new information to our attention.



The abstract of the study states that the kind of weight loss that MMA athletes endure is strongly associated with concussion symptoms:



What implications do you think this might have for the sport, Sherdoggers?

I don't get it. When a fighter is doing a weight cut, by that time they no longer have concussion symptoms. They have been cleared to fight, so where's the association between the weight cut and concussion symptoms? Concussion symptoms clear up well before a fighter's next fight. So, there are no concussion symptoms during a weight cut, as far as I know. I guess I'm missing something here.

 

[MikeyB]

Went over your head.

If a fighter has 36 hours to rehydrate, he will cut far more weight than a fighter who basically has to start warming up because his match is about yo start.

Increasing rehydration time results in more severe Weight cuts.

The issue with weight cuts isn't lack of rehydration, it is the severe dehydration leading up to it.

Or you just have guys dying.

The parallel with collegiate wrestling falls apart since it's not a competition, it's a profession.