Kickboxing had origins thousands of years old in Muay Thai fighting before it began to develop into its current form in the 1970s. Though the sport offers aerobic, muscular and self-defense development, the high-impact kicks that made the sport famous can wreak havoc on your knees if executed improperly. Injuries that persist untreated can lead to more serious conditions, such as tendonitis, later in life.
History
Kickboxing started as a full-contact form of karate. The sport was spread during the 1970s with the help of Hollywood stars such as Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. At the turn of the century, kickboxing was propelled to even greater popularity thanks to the rise of mixed martial arts fighting, such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and the introduction of cardio-kickboxing in fitness centers around the United States. As more people than ever participated in the sport, the incidence of related knee injuries also climbed.
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Expert Insight
According to a 2003 study carried out by the University of Pennsylvania, 29.3 percent of instructors and students in cardio-kickboxing classes suffered from some kind of injury, with injuries of the knee being the second-most common complaint. Roughly 64 percent of the injuries were new injuries caused by the kickboxing class and nearly 59 percent of the injuries disrupted the exercise routine or daily activities. The same study found that kickboxing classes with music playing at more than 140 beats per minute are much more likely to have injuries occur.
Significance
Injuries to the knee can be a great inconvenience to day-to-day life and make simple tasks such as walking difficult. According to physical therapist Kate Grace, "the knee is the largest and most complicated joint in our body," which means that injuries can be quick to occur and last a long time. While strains and sprains caused by kickboxing can sometimes be treated with ice and anti-inflammatory drugs, rips and tears in the knee ligaments or fluid sacs may require surgery.
Types
The two most common types of knee injuries that occur in kickboxing are repetitive stress and joint injuries. The former of these injuries can occur simply from the bent-knee stance that is common in the martial art or by repeating the same moves continuously, as you would do in an exercise class. Joint injury can occur when the leg is hyper-extended or if a high-impact blow is landed without proper form.
Prevention
Newcomers to the sport of kickboxing are advised to ask their trainer or coach for extra help in learning proper form for kicks. Poor technique increases the strain on joints and is more likely to lead to injuries. A special effort should be made to monitor your form when you first begin the sport and do routines at less than maximum capability. Stretching before your exercise routine will also prevent damage to the ligaments in your knee.
Posted in: Kickboxing