Date of Award
Fall 12-1-2013
Degree Type
Honors College Thesis
Department
Human Performance and Recreation
First Advisor
Jerry Purvis
Abstract
Injuries, unfortunately, occur in every sport. Injuries in the martial arts and/or combat sports seem to be more prevalent because of the force of the contact involved in these sports. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, one of the more common competitive martial arts, has two distinct branches that involve two different rule sets and required attire. This study involved research to determine if there is a significant difference in the amount of injuries obtained by practitioners that participated in Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu versus those who participate in No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Self-reporting surveys were utilized to analyze the amount of injuries incurred during the practice of the person’s respective martial art, and further questions assessed severity and frequency of injury. The practitioners completed surveys, and the data from the surveys was compiled and analyzed. Four area martial arts schools chose to participate in this study. Of the four schools, thirty-one surveys were collected from practitioners (Twenty-two of the surveys met the inclusion criteria for age and six months of training history). Ten of the practitioners surveyed reported some sort of injury. Three of the No-Gi practitioners reported obtaining a selfdiagnosed musculoskeletal joint injury. Seven of the Gi practitioners reported obtaining a selfdiagnosed musculoskeletal joint injury. Other questions in the survey addressed time spent training, amount of injuries suffered, amount of injuries, and amount of time spent away from training due to injury. These were addressed to provide possible reasoning for injuries (or lack of injuries). There was no statistically significant difference in the amount of injuries in each branch of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and the only relevant conclusion to be drawn from additional questions is that when a practitioner reported injury, they always reported suffering multiple injuries throughout their history in the martial art.
Copyright
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Recommended Citation
Chambliss, Shawn C., "Gi or No-Gi? – An analysis of injury trends in Gi and No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu" (2013). Honors Theses. 468.
https://aquila.usm.edu/honors_theses/468