Martial Arts – Kata, Kimute, Kihon and ...Injury
How to get balance, improve form and avoid pain
The name “Martial Arts” comes from the Roman god of war – Mars . But today, most who practice the art do so for peaceful purposes – such as self defense training, exercise or to bring balance to mind and body.
Even with peaceful purposes in mind, though, there is a good chance you will sustain injury.
According to Go for Your Life.com (an Internet site dedicated to increasing health), karate and kickboxing account for about half of all martial arts injuries . Some injuries are sustained during sparring, many during normal training (or kihon) and kata (or forms). And while you might expect cuts and bruises during sparring or matched competition, you are more likely to be hampered with repetitive strain injury, especially if you are over 30. Repetitive strain comes from repeating the same movements again and again. So even if you never compete, you could be hit with injury while training. Below are some of the most common:
- Sprained ankles – come from being off balance or not executing a kick or jump correctly
- Plantar fasciitis – is a bruising or overstretching of the plantar fascia ligament that runs along the sole of the foot. This injury is particularly common in martial arts, and it comes from overwork. The pain can be excruciating and never ending. If left untreated, it can also take weeks or months to heal.
- Strains - injury to muscle or tendon. For example, a muscle may tear from the rapid stop that occurs when you make contact with an opponent or object.
- Knee injuries - caused by the bent-knee stance typical of most martial arts and the use of forceful kicks that can injure the joint if not done properly .
Martial Arts; Wikipedia. Found September 26, 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martial_arts
Martial arts - preventing injury; Go for Your Life. Found September 27, 2007
http://www.goforyourlife.vic.gov.au/hav/articles.nsf/pages/Martial_arts_preventing_injury?open
How can you prevent and treat injury?
There are some things you can do to prevent injury and to treat injury when it strikes. As your instructor will tell you, warming up and stretching before you train or compete is essential. But ensuring that your body is healthy and in balance is also essential. Martial arts require strength, speed and all-over movement and mobility. If your body is hampered by old injury or tight, inflexible muscles and tendons, not only will you run the risk of injury, you will not be able to kick as high or bend as far. Nor will you execute your forms the way they were intended.
If you have never heard of “Structural Integration,” it is a form of deep bodywork with roots that reach back as far as marital arts, itself. Ancient Greek, Roman and Asian cultures practiced bodywork and massage to increase overall health and to help athletes and warriors perform at peak levels.
The purpose of structural integration is to identify current and potential problem areas, and treat them within the context of the whole body. Old injuries limit your range of motion while weak, underused areas make you vulnerable to future injury. What the ancient Greeks, Romans and Asians understood -- and today’s structural therapist understands – is that your body is completely connected. If your upper back, for example, is tight and tender from lifting children or heavy objects, it will have an affect on your lower back and your whole body’s ability to balance itself and move freely.
Those limitations will naturally limit your ability to move about, exercise – and practice the art of Karate (or any of the martial arts).
What can I do for you?
When you visit my office, I will spend some time up front discussing your lifestyle (how long you spend sitting each day, whether you lift heavy objects or sit in front of a computer, etc.), your physical limitations and your past injuries. Then, together you and I will design a structural program, which will free you of pain, create new strength and balance in your body.After your structural sessions are complete, you will feel ease and power at the core of your body. Your kihon and kata will be graceful, free and precise – as they were intended.
