Hi I was hoping for some advice. Let me give you some background about me first. I'm 29 a mixed martial artist (cage fighter), a term I hate and never use but it is easier to explain what I do.
Right the reason for this post is because last August I was involved in a serious accident. This accident involved a head injury. I was in an induced coma for 2 days I had a few small bleeds deep inside my brain. I never had any invasive surgery they were left to heal themselves which they did. (thank god). I was in hospital for 2 weeks and off work 8 weeks. I've since recovered fully with no lasting affects what so ever.
Basically in hospital the doctor treating me said that In a year's time I would be able to fight again provide I had no lasting affects. My neurologist in outpatients who I've since been completely discharged from didnt want to know when I asked him about fighting again. He simple said no sport that involves head injuries. I'm asking this question to see if anybody knows knows any information about head injuries in sport or anywhere I could find some.
Many thanks for taking the time to read my post.
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Tapper180
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You've had a very lucky escape, your neurologist is probably horrified that you are willing to risk permanent damage as I am. There are plenty of us on here who will feel the same.
This is a decision you have to make for yourself. Google the information you need, if you were my relative or partner I would do all I could to dissuade you. I cannot even balance to ride a bike or exercise normally in a gym, I had to learn to walk again.a few weeks in a wheelchair can be very sobering.
Good luck with your future, I really am happy you have had a good outcome, use your second chance wisely.
Hi thanks for your comments. I will take on board your advice. I Hope things improve for you and one day you'll be back on your bike. Xx
THERE'S AN AMERICAN PROFFESIONAL SNOWBOARDER CALLED KEVIN PEARCE WHO HAD HORRENDOUS TBI IN 2009 FALLING ON HIS HEAD. HE HAS MADE DOCUMENTARY CALLED THE CRASH REEL DETAILING HIS RECOVERY. THERE'S A LOT OF INFO ABOUT EXTREME SPORT AFTER HEAD INJURY. HE IS NOW AN ADVOCATE FOR SAFE EXTREME S PORT AFTER BRAIN INJURY & HAS SET UP A CHARITY CALLED LOVE YOUR BRAIN HE HAS WEBSITE, FACEBOOK PAGE & THERE'S LOADS ON YOUTUBE. HE'S THE BEST SOURCE OF INFO I HAVE FOUND. I THINK HE SOUNDS LIKE JUST WHAT YOU NEED SO I,D RECOMMEND YOU CHECK OUT THE CRASH REEL, ITS ON DVD & THERE ARE WEBSITES WHERE YOU CAN WATCH IT. I HAD AN ABO BUT IT'S J
Thank you for your reply, I've just ordered the dvd off Amazon and can't wait to watch it. I'm looking forward to seeing how someone else who has a love for a short deals with having a tbi. Thanks again
Well in my last dementia training was commented that there is some evidence that wrestlers and such physical type sports are a risk factor, this though is a milder injury but the colmitive effect.
I suspect you'll struggle to find any one willing to sign you off, officially, at least. On first reading I assumed you'd had this at work but on 2nd reading I'm less sure.
How knocked about do you get? And would there be ways to reduce the risks?
I too done hold much hope for a doctor going on record and saying I can return. Regarding the accident I was knocked over by an unlicensed uninsured driver while out with my partner for the evening. This sport was and still is a massive part of my life and I don't want to walk away from it until I'm sure that I've explored every avenue.
Really if I wanted to compete again then it's a really rough sport. The closest sport in comparison is boxing.
I have falls now and then but it's about how you deal with them that counts, I play squash and I'm active than I was before ma head injury. It's about how you want to be like, I hate people saying to me be careful, don't do this. It's
about freedom
I am not as yet signed off from the neurologist but I still do them. I fought to get to this point and occasionally pass out and right leg gives way but I learnt to live with it.
It's up to you whether you take up mma again, it's ur body
I admire your spirit,determination and outlook on life, I really do Zoe 2345. you have youth on your side and a whole future life to look forward to and I do understand. but having had a spontaneous TBI with no fall, a fall backwards onto a ceramic floor in May banging my head (which I forgot to mention to Tapper180, then the car accident in May, I now have effects I didn't have before the car accident, so that's the only reason I urge caution .
OK I'm 66.5, with much less of my future before me, which I look forward to enjoying and will continue trying to improve, but like so many other members whose BI's were caused in much more serious circumstances than mine, I've read over the last year almost how badly they have been affected. So I can say how much I wish all of you well, the younger ones more so because of your ages,, but please take care and don't take unnecessary risks is all I can urge. Love to you all - Shirley xx
You could still do the mma mui thia training without doing the full combat competitions. It's not a great comparison, but you often see rugby players and boxers get knocked out for a few seconds then get up and carry on.
You have to be aware though, you only get one brain. Once it gets damaged you can't always fix it. Read through some of the problems facing brain injured people and then read the stories of the family members of brain injured people.
When you have all these things put in front of you it may help you make the right choice for you.
The DVD is very good because you will see the difficulties of someone who doesn't see why it isn't the most normal thing in the world to jump back into the thick o things, whilst his family are stunned he would even want to put himself in harms way.
Hey. I can sympathize completely with your predicament. My son also was Into MMA and due to a hypoxic brain injury there is no way he can compete again (due to his physical abilities). I have seen how upset/frustrated he becomes when he thinks about not doing it again, but it is just something he unfortunately has to live with. As for you, it's all a matter or risk and quality of life. It sounds as if you have been 'fortunate' with your injury inasmuch as your recovery has been incredible with no life-altering conditions, but it could have been much, much worse. And that's where the risk versus quality of life comes in. Are you prepared to take the risks and maybe end up in a condition where you can't even remember how you ended up in a body that no longer functions in a 'normal' way? My son spent just over three years in rehab and in that time I saw more crippled and broken bodies than you can imagine, a real eye-opener. And all due to the malfunction in one way or another of this little piece of blancmange that we all take for granted.
The Crash Reel is an incredible piece of film - it shows the struggle to overcome adversity., and I hope you glean some relevant information from it. If I were you I would also do some research Into the legal battles that are going on with regard to American Footballers. It is now coming to light that the constant knocks to the head that these guys go through over the years really wrecks the brain and causes all sorts of problems. But at the end of the day, despite all that everybody says to you, you're the only one who can (and should) decide what to do - just do your research first. Good luck with whatever you decide.
You get a head injury and get away with it the 1st time -you are lucky! He wasn't after a lot fights, ok he was a boxer, but still had blows to his head! I was recovering very well (except for some unrelated personal issues) from my B I last March - no accident or blow to head- similar to you in hospital but did have to have a stent inserted in my brain.
I too was involved in a car accident, last november, the airbag exploding onto my face /head causing quite a brain shakeup. Now I have quite bad effects some of which I hadn't had before.
Your sports sounds as though you could have another knock to the head which could mean another 'shake-up' inside your skull, to a previously injured organ - your brain! I also, I'm sorry to say agree totally with Kirk5F7....
I hope you are able to make what will prove to be the right decision for you.
Hi Tapper180, that's a tricky one. I can empathise with wanting to return to a sport you love especially when it has so far been a safe sport for you. Forgive my lack of knowledge, but is there a governing body for 'cage fighting' and could they recommend a doctor who could talk through the medical realities with you? Are you obtain to obtain your medical files and use them as the basis of an informed disussion? Does your sport have a benevolant fund that might assist you to do this? Sorry if this is all complete nonsense, just trying to think out the box...
Thank you for all the help. I've now got an appointment with a neurologist next month who specialises in sports injuries. I will take his advice, what ever it may be. I've also just yesterday watched the film "crash reel" now after seeing how other people's lives have been turned upside down through tbi makes me question is it really worth the risk I would no doubt be putting myself through.
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