NYMC Faculty Publications
Epidemiology of Sports Related Concussion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: A Cross-Sectional Study
DOI
10.3390/sports7020053
Journal Title
Sports
First Page
E53
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
February 2019
Department
Surgery
Keywords
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, concussion, martial arts, sport-related concussion
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
Abstract
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a rapidly growing grappling sport with a wide spectrum of participants. This cross-sectional study examined the lifetime prevalence of concussion in adult BJJ practitioners in the United States using a 17-item survey. A total of 778 (11.4% female) BJJ practitioners with a median age of 31 years completed the survey. Overall, the lifetime prevalence of the self-reported BJJ-related concussion was 25.2%. However, the prevalence was higher among females than males (43.0% versus 22.9%; X(2)(1,740) = 15.129; p < 0.001). Factors independently associated with significantly increased odds of having sustained a BJJ-related concussion included a prior history of concussion (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.14(-)2.74; p = 0.011) and female gender (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.04(-)3.65; p = 0.037). The median return to sports time was three days, with 30.3% of participants returning on the same day as being concussed. The present study represents the first epidemiological research examining the concussions in BJJ. The results underscore the need for increased education on concussions and return to sports guidelines among BJJ coaches and practitioners.
Recommended Citation
Spano, M., Risucci, D., Etienne, M., & Petersen, K. (2019). Epidemiology of Sports Related Concussion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: A Cross-Sectional Study. Sports, 7 (2), E53. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports7020053
