The prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries among novice karate players

Aim-The aim of this study was to access the prevalence of injury pattern among novice karate players. Relevance of study - There are many benefits of practicing karate as it improves psychological health by promoting relaxation, self-esteem, balance, development of the discipline, strength and mind-body coordination. Participation in the sport like karate or any sport is not without risk, and injuries can be an adverse outcome. Methodology-In this cross-sectional study 89 participants were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire is used in the study to access the injury pattern according to body region and Dr buckleys injury severity classification is used to access the severity of injury. The injuries were classified as major, moderate, severe according to the classification. Result- The most common causes of direct contact injuries were found to be punches and kicks. It was observed that, in present as well as past, the most common location of injury were found in lower limb that is hips/thighs (33.7%), knees (33.7%), ankle (25.84%) followed by head and face (22.47%). The severity of injury was graded by Dr Buckleys injury severity classification, where the participants suffered from major injuries(56.17%), moderate injuries (35.9%), and severe injuries(6.74%). Conclusion – From this study it is concluded that mostly, lower and upper limb injuries, followed by head and face are found to be affected mostly in novice karate players. Karate is associated with a relatively high injury rate but mainly for minor injuries, with a relative risk lower than in most sports; severe injuries are rare.