Epidemiology of Injuries in Iranian Male Jiu-Jitsu Athletes

Like other martial arts sports, Jiu-Jitsu is associated with injuries due to its high intensity, competitiveness, and training methods. This study aims to investigate the prevalence, mechanism, type, time, and severity of injuries in Iranian male Jiu-Jitsu athletes.

This is a descriptive and retrospective study. The study population consists of all elite male Jiu-Jitsu athletes in Iran in 2021, of whom 168 athletes over 18 years were selected. A researcher-made injury report form was used to survey the injuries experienced during competitions or training in the past year. The chi-square test was used to examine the differences in the multilevel variables, and the proportion test was used to examine the differences in the two-level nominal variables.

The results showed a significant difference among the athletes in terms of the type of injury, mechanism of injury, severity of injury, incidence rate in anatomical areas, incidence rate in four general areas of the body, time of injury during training and competitions, and Jiu-Jitsu style (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Fighting, and Kata). The most common mechanism of injury was the maximum pressure on the joint; the most common type of injury was dislocation/partial dislocation, and the least common type was brain injury; the injuries were mostly mild or moderate; most of the injuries occurred in the knee and shoulder joints; the prevalence of injuries was higher during training than during competitions, and those in Brazilian jiu-jitsu style report more injuries.

Given the epidemiology of Injuries in Iranian male Jiu-Jitsu athletes, planning is needed to minimize injuries. Coaches and athletes should try to reduce the rate of injuries, by developing injury prevention programs.