Biomechanical Analysis of Serious Neck Injuries Resulting from Judo.

Tomoyuki Nakanishi,Masahito Hitosugi,Haruo Murayama,Katsuhiro Koyama,Masahiro Ogino,Arisa Takeda,Yasuki Motozawa

doi:10.3390/healthcare9020214

Tomoyuki Nakanishi, Masahito Hitosugi + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9020214

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Abstract

To establish a basis for initial diagnosis and for proposing preventive measures for the serious neck injuries occasionally experienced by judo practitioners, the biomechanical mechanisms of these injuries were analyzed. Two male judo experts repeatedly threw an anthropomorphic test device (POLAR dummy) using three throwing techniques (Seoi-nage, Osoto-gari, and Ouchi-gari). The dummy’s kinematic data were captured using a high-speed digital camera, and the load and moment of the neck were measured with load cells. The neck injury criterion (Nij) and beam criterion were also calculated. In Seoi-nage, the anterior and parietal regions of the dummy’s head contacted the tatami (judo mat). Subsequently, most of the body weight was applied, with the neck experiencing the highest compression. However, in Osoto-gari and Ouchi-gari, the occipital region of the dummy’s head contacted the tatami. Significantly higher values of both Nij (median 0.68) and beam criterion (median 0.90) corresponding to a 34.7% to 37.1% risk of neck injury with an abbreviated injury scale score ≥2 were shown in Seoi-nage than in either Ouchi-gari or Osoto-gari. In judo, when thrown by the Seoi-nage technique, serious neck injuries can occur as a result of neck compression that occurs when the head contacts the ground.

Highlights

Sports injuries are a major public health problem
The purposes of this study were to clarify the mechanisms of serious neck injuries experienced by judo practitioners biomechanically and propose preventive measures
The results showed significantly higher values of both the neck injury criterion (Nij) and beam criterion (BC) in Seoi-nage than in Ouchi-gari or Osoto-gari

Summary

Introduction

Sports injuries are a major public health problem. Judo, which became an Olympic sport for men at the Tokyo 1964 Olympics and for women at the Barcelona 1992 Olympics, is the most popular Japanese martial art (budo) in the world. A systematic review suggested that the upper extremities are the most commonly injured body region in competitive judo, followed by the head and neck; the most frequent type of injury is contusion [2]. One recent study in France suggested that the upper limbs were the most commonly injured body region, followed by lower limbs and the cervical spine, in judo competitions [3]. Another recent study (in Japan) found that the head and neck were the most frequent regions of minor injury, followed by upper limbs, and the upper limbs were the most frequent regions of major injury, followed by the head and neck [4]. Though head and neck injuries are not common

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