In my experience, injuries can be prevented only so much. Most of the time it’s a freak accident: a twisted ankle from the one time you don’t pivot properly, a tweaked wrist from trying to prevent a fall etc. You can tape fingers and toes, wear a mouth guard and other protective gear, wrap hands and ankles, but what about internal injuries? How about a nose that won’t stop bleeding?
You can learn to block, and learn to dodge, but all it takes is one lucky strike to get things bleeding.
Let’s start with the nose. Mine began to bleed so often from a light hit that I was nicknamed “The Bleeder” at my gym for a while. After a short period of time I decided to get it cauterized. The process itself is quick, even if it does sting and make the eyes water. Something that is omitted from conversations is the follow-up.
Buy yourself a plain nasal spray before you get your nose cauterized. The stench of burnt flesh and the taste of chemicals in the back of your throat can be overwhelming. Buy the spray, and once you’re out of the doctor’s office, give the affected nasal passage a shot. Stay away from contact training for a couple of days at least, a week is better.
Then we have internal injuries. Bruising will leave you stiff and sore, but the real trouble is when your urine is red. Peeing blood is a nasty shock, trust me. There is no magic cure to fixing a bleeding organ, though a doctor can assess how much damage has been done. Keep yourself well hydrated, and take it easy for a minimum of a week. Don’t rush back into training with internal damage. Doing so can make said damage permanent and end any career within the sport that you might have planned.
I have been fortunate enough to be able to call upon friends and family in the medical profession to answer my many – and probably annoying – questions regarding muscles, bones, organs, and just about anything else that gets injured. It is handy when you have a slight fear of hospitals.
Train safe, and use the proper protective gear. Don’t cheat yourself out of quality training time because you don’t want to spring something that seems pricey. Keep your body intact, you’ll thank yourself in your old age.
–The Prototype’s Alter Ego
Oh! And don’t underestimate cauliflower ear; wear your head gear when rolling!