Injury and Illness on Martial Arts Training
For the athlete or martial artist, one of the most frustrating situations one can face is when one is slightly injured or sick. Unlike a severe injury, the athlete often faces increased self-doubt about his own toughness. For example, at my Baltimore MMA gym, one of my top Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitors, had to undergo major shoulder surgery. There was absolutely no possible way he could practice. On the other hand, when my athletes are sick with the flu or a simple cold, they often try to come in and work out.Reputation is important in the gym and they do not want to be seen as not tough enough to train when sick.
But is this really a good idea?
The first issue to consider is the benefit to the athlete himself. Will an extra training session be productive in his or her weakened state?In addition, will the athlete's return to health be delayed by the additional training?Recovery and healing might be slowed by the additional training.
The second issue pertains to the effect of the illness / injury to the other athletes.To avoid spreading the illness, quarantine is the safest way to protect the other athletes. When the athlete is suffering from an acute injury, one must consider the effect of the injured athlete on the training of the other team members – will the quality of the practice of the healthy athletes be negatively affected by having an injured athlete present?
A real-life instance of this would be in the case mentioned above of the Martial Artist who was suffering from a shoulder injury. He would often train in the Baltimore Kickboxing classes because he could kick and knee. Unfortunately, he was unable to hold pads or participate when in it was the other athlete’s turn to practice.The athlete's injury negatively affected his partner's practice more than it did his.
At the end of the day, each injury or illness must be considered on a case-by-case basis by the coach or medical staff simply due to the large amount of variables that come into play. However, any decision must take into account the two issues listed above – namely, the effect of the illness/injury on the athlete herself and the effect of the illness/injury on the team.
Julius Park
