Judo

Do you know the most common injuries in judo?

For a judoka, the knees and shoulders are most vulnerable to injury.

Standing throws are the most common situation where injuries occur. For elite players, they happen most frequently during competitions and at intensive training camps.

During a training session or a match, situations can arise that can lead to concussions or more serious head injuries. The risk for head injury is greater for beginners, because the falling techniques are not fully developed yet. These injuries can be missed and should be taken very seriously. You can read more about treating a concussion here.

If a player has been injured, there is an increased risk of getting injured again and having to take a break from training and competitions. This may be because the judoka goes back to training too soon or intensifies their training too quickly.

Judo ear, or cauliflower ear, is not uncommon. This occurs because of repeated rubbing and blows to the ear. The skin sits right over the cartilage, and bleeding between the cartilage and the skin is not absorbed properly. For this reason, the blood must be evacuated and pressure must be applied to the area.

Common injuries

  • ACL injury
  • Collateral ligament injury
  • Meniscus injury
  • Concussion
  • AC-joint injury
  • Rotator cuff injury
  • Back pain
  • Neck pain
  • Dislocated elbow
  • Fractures of the humerus
  • Fractures of the forearm
  • Ankle sprain