Paraclinical methods of investigating possible brain injuries after knock out in tae kwon do athletes

Introduction

Head traumas can lead to a serious brain injury [1]. The results of even a light concussion are not always obvious to the person or to the observer [2]. In order to detect any possible anatomical anomalies, the examination through EEG or CT-scan is suggested [3]. A neuropsychological test can also be considered [4]. The mouth guard reduces the chances for brain concussion by impeding them from crushing after a blow [5]. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible brain damage after KO sustained during sparring competition in Tae kwon do athletes, through Paraclinical methods.

Methods

The sample consisted of 22 high-performance athletes (men= 16, junior boys= 6). The basic presupposition was to have been knocked out (KO) at least one time in an official game accompanied by cerebral concussion (after medical diagnosis). Athletes belonged to all weight categories. The average age of the athletes on the day they had the brain injury was 24 ± 6 years. Procedure: α) receipt of detailed biography (protocol of brain injuries), b) clinical tests, γ) MRI, CT,
EEG, TEOAEs findings. Frequencies, Cross-tabulation and Chi squared test were used for statistical analysis (SPSS, Version 10 for Windows). The level of significance was set at 0.05.

Results

The EEG did not detect anything, not even to the athletes who had been subjected to two or three Κnock Outs additionally (18% of the athletes), or two to six Knock Downs (27,3%). Over-inhalation and the light stimulus naturally activated the diagram. Likewise, there was no finding from the ‘neurological’ and ‘psychological’ control examination, the repression of the Transiently Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions (TEOAEs), the CT-scan and from the orthopantomography.

Discussion / Conclusions

No brain or central nervous system dysfunction was traced from the EEG. The functional examination was completed with the study of TEOAEs containment, as well as with other examinations (neurological checks, CT-scan, orthopantomography), in which no pathological elements were detected. It seems that Tae kwon do is a less dangerous and ‘traumatic’ sport that it is believed and that the head and brain injuries that occurred during fights did not cause any
long term injuries to the athletes. The conduction of two forms of tests (anatomical with MRI and/or CT-scan and functional with EEG and/or TEOAEs or neurological control) is considered essential after a KO, so as to exclude any possible damage.

References

[1]. Johnson, J. (1969). The EEG in the traumatic encephalopathy of boxers. Psychiatry Clinic (Basel), 2, 204.
[2]. Symonds, C. (1962). Concussion and its sequel, Lancet, I: 1-5.
[3]. Estwanik, J.J. & Boitano, M. & Ari, N. (1984). Amateur boxing injuries at the 1981 and 1982 USA. National Championships. Physician and Sportsmedicine, 12, 123-128.
[4]. Murelius, O. & Haglund, Y. (1991). Does Swedish amateur boxing lead to chronic brain damage? A retrospective neuropsychological study. Acta Neurology Scandinavian, 83, 9-13.
[5]. Chapman, P.J. (1989). Players’ attitudes to mouthguards and prevalence of orofacial injuries in the 1987 US Rugby
Football Team. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 17, 690-691.