Martial Arts News and Research

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Review strengthens evidence that repetitive head impact exposure as chief risk factor for CTE

During the past 17 years, there has been a remarkable increase in scientific research concerning chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) with researchers at the BU CTE Center at the forefront.

10 Feb 2023

What is the effectiveness of different exercise modalities in reducing cancer-related fatigue in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy?

Researchers examined the effect of exercise modalities on cancer-related fatigue.

6 Feb 2023

Retired MMA fighters and boxers may see some improvement in thinking and memory scores

Boxers and mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters may see some recovery in their thinking and memory skills as well as brain structure after they stop fighting, according to a new study published in the September 14, 2022, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

14 Sep 2022

Understanding the impact of variability in learning and generalization

Variability is crucially important for learning new skills. Consider learning how to serve in tennis. Should you always practice serving from the exact same location on the court, aiming at exactly the same spot? Although practicing in more variable conditions will be slower at first, it will likely make you a better tennis player at the end.

13 May 2022

Fighters who rapidly cut weight before bouts are more prone to concussions, finds study

Fighters who rapidly cut weight before bouts are at a higher risk of suffering concussions or being misdiagnosed with head trauma, researchers have revealed for the first time.

13 Apr 2022

Traditional martial arts can improve self-regulation in school children

The report, published in the journal Developmental Psychology, details how researchers from the University of Surrey studied 240 primary school students aged 7 - 11 years across a period of 11 weeks.

7 Jan 2022

Women who compete in martial arts and combat sports challenge gender norms

Women who compete in martial arts and combat sports challenge gender norms in their profession but often embrace them wholeheartedly and even overdo them in their personal lives, finds a UC Riverside study published in Sociology of Sport Journal.

23 Oct 2020

When the pandemic closes your gym, ‘come for the party, stay for the workout’

Evaristo "Risto" Grant counted down from 10 as his clients held their plank positions and shook with the effort. Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" blared in the background. Grant paced around his clients on their yoga mats, shouting words of encouragement.

2 Sep 2020

Less-lethal weapons blind, maim and kill. Victims say enough is enough.

There's a gap in Scott Olsen's memory for the night of Oct. 25, 2011. The Iraq War vet remembers leaving his tech job in the San Francisco Bay Area and taking a BART train to join an Occupy Oakland protest against economic and social inequality.

24 Jul 2020

Judo holds promise for reducing sedentary behavior among children with autism

Judo may be just the right sport to increase the physical activity level among children with autism spectrum disorder and holds promise for reducing sedentary behavior, which is linked to obesity and diabetes, according to a new study from the University of Central Florida.

9 Jan 2020

Study measures brain injury from boxing, MMA in younger and older fighters

For boxers and mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters, is there a safe level of exposure to head trauma? A new study shows different effects in the brain for younger, current fighters compared to older, retired fighters.

23 Dec 2019

Study finds evidence of blood-brain barrier damage even without reported concussion

In a new study of adolescent and adult athletes, researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Stanford University and Trinity College in Dublin have found evidence of damage to the brain's protective barrier, without a reported concussion.

25 Sep 2019

MMA athletes may put health at risk by using extreme weight loss techniques

Mixed martial arts athletes are potentially putting their health at risk by shedding almost 10kg in bodyweight in the lead up to fights, new research from Edith Cowan University has found.

13 Feb 2018

Relieving Symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis with Exercise

We know that exercise is beneficial in helping someone to maintain their lung function, stay strong and active and maintain a good quality of life. We also know that exercise can complement ‘airway clearance techniques’ – breathing exercises prescribed by physiotherapists to help clear the lungs of mucus.

14 Dec 2017

Football remains America's favorite sport, despite concerns over head injuries

Three-quarters of fans say head injuries in football are a major problem and another six in 10 are worried about off-field violence involving players. Despite that, football remains America's favorite professional sport, according to results of a UMass Lowell-Washington Post poll released today.

7 Sep 2017

Research shows surgery as effective, safe option to treat patients with pectoralis major tendon ruptures

Surgery is an effective and safe option to treat patients with pectoralis major tendon (PMT) ruptures, generally demonstrating a low risk of re-rupture and complications, according to research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

20 Jul 2017

Study finds markers of long-term brain injury in the blood of boxers and fighters

Boxers and mixed martial arts fighters may have markers of long-term brain injury in their blood, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's Sports Concussion Conference in Jacksonville, Fla., July 14 to 16, 2017.

14 Jul 2017

Malaria drug effectively blocks Zika virus transmission to the fetus

Devastating consequences of Zika virus infection are suffered in the womb, where the virus can cause brain damage and sometimes death.

10 Jul 2017

Gentle Chinese martial art could help prevent falls in people with Parkinson’s disease, study shows

Statistics show that 25 per cent of recently diagnosed patients suffered a fall in the first year. That came as a surprise to researchers. They had thought that falls tended to occur during later stages of the disease.

28 Feb 2017

High-pressure culture of sports could increase risk of substance addiction among athletes, study finds

As she was planning her study to look into the role physical activity and sport play in the development of substance addiction, Laurie de Grace was forewarned that she may have trouble finding any recovering addicts with a sporting background to speak with.

13 Feb 2017