Stigma of MA injuries

[gzk]

I've noticed that people seem to be horrified at injuries incurred during MA competition or training, but injuries incurred during "normal" sports are acceptable, regardless of actual severity. I've been bruised up from being hit by a cricket ball at training (sorta like baseball, for those of you who don't know) and gotten no real grief over it, torn my hamstring playing baseball so bad my leg looked like a pool table leg painted purple and nearly required surgery, torn my rotator cuff playing baseball and missed close to a year of sports, yet the slightest bruising from MA training (that didn't even hurt) and I'm a maniac?!?

Anyone had that before?

[The BB of C]

I've noticed this. It's because martial arts are involved in fighting and sparring. And people tend to think you're crazy if you like to fight.

[JackCrevalle]

This is a very perceptive observation.

Just yesterday I was talking to a friend and mentioned something about MAs and she said, "You don't do that do you?". I told her yes, but since she is a work friend i added, "but I don't let a lot of people know that".

She went on to say that her (grown) son was in TKD and she didn't want to know what he did because she said he had broken his friends leg at one time and came home with bruises, etc. I really wanted to know more about what her son was doing but it was obvious she really didn't want to know details of his MA.

When I came home with a bruised up leg from being kicked there several times, my wife asked "Why do you let people kick you?".

It definitely seems to invoke some kind of visceral response to be injured in a MA versus another sport.

Edited June 24, 2007 by JackCrevalle

[YoungMan]

Me and the guys I used to practice with wore our injuries like badges of honor. Each bruise, cut, broken bone, and unaligned joint had a history and a story that we shared with each other (and non students) if asked.

[ps1]

Yup. People see them as different because, as a society, they tend to be ignorant of what we do. They assume that every single injury must have occured by getting punched or kicked somehow. I think I've had more injuries happen during drills than ever in actual sparring or rolling.

[bushido_man96]

Honestly, I think there are far further injuries from martial arts practice than there are from many other sports, like football and baseball. However, with our activities, we are putting ourselves in line to get punched/kicked/wrenched, etc., which will tend to result in more direct injuries. I think it is just a perception that we will have to deal with. It separates us from the rest.

[marie curie]

Yeh, I've had this perception tons too- huge softball bruises are evidently not as bad as a few blocking bruises from MA.

I think that a lot of this comes from the idea that when you are playing a sport, and get hurt, it's an accident that you aren't supposed to expect, no matter how common it is. In MA you walk into the match with the understanding that you are probably going to absorb a punch or two.

Edited June 30, 2007 by marie curie

[ramymensa]

I got some problems like this too, especially since I am a woman. I don't think we need to be seen as weirds, but the thing is that many people just don't get it.

[jaymac]

My mother would watch boxing with me and say, "I just don't understand why someone would want to stand there and get punched." I grew tired of trying to explain it to her. I think that is the same perception carried by anyone who hasn't actually had the joy of being in this type of sport. They feel we go to the dojo and just hit each other. Unless they actually go and watch or participate, it is hard to change their opinions.

[Zanshin]

I too have experienced being put to the back of the line in the casualty department (ER) of many hospitals because of a Karate related injury.

That said, I think it does depend on the doctor. I friend of mine recently went to his GP because his knee was hurting. He was fully expecting the third degree and being told to give up Karate. Instead he was surprised when the doctor commended him for having an active pastime. The doctor’s words were - if it came to the worst, we can always replace your knee, we can’t replace your heart.

I found this refreshing.