This systematic review aims to assess the genetic determinants influencing combat sports performance and address potential gaps in previous reviews. Twenty-four selected studies were analysed, investigating genetic influences on physiological performance, psychological traits, psychophysiological factors like pain perception, and injury susceptibility in combat sport athletes. The systematic literature search, using keywords, encompassed PubMed, Scopus, SportDiscus, Medline, and Google Scholar. The Covidence systematic review management software facilitated the screening process and the creation of the PRISMA flow diagram. The quality assessment complied with the PRISMA guidelines, featuring a custom 10-point scale and the STREGA criteria for more reliable study inclusion. Collectively, the 24 studies incorporated 18,989 participants, of which 3323 were combat athletes of majority European ancestry (71.7%) from various combat sports disciplines. Twenty-five unique genetic variants were significantly associated with combat sports performance across diverse domains. These included physiological performance (nine genetic variants), psychological traits (ten genetic variants), psychophysiological factors (one genetic variant), and injury susceptibility (four genetic variants). In conclusion, this systematic review lays the foundation for a more comprehensive exploration of the association between genetics and athletic performance in the demanding arena of combat sports, offering valuable insights for talent identification, training optimisation, and injury prevention.

Objective  To investigate the epidemiology of injury types among jiu-jitsu practitioners, as well as the incidence regarding different skill and experience levels, through the question: \"What are the characteristics and prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries in Jiu-Jitsu practitioners?\". Methods  Since the beginning of the study, in August 2020, we conducted a search on the MEDLINE, LILACS, and SciELO electronic databases. We included cross-sectional studies published between 2018 and 2023 on the epidemiology of the types of injuries among jiu-jitsu practitioners that compared their incidence regarding different levels of ability and experience. Two independent researchers performed the data extraction and assessed the risk of bias. Results  Seven studies were included. The common outcomes involved 2,847 jiu-jitsu practitioners. A high prevalence in the knee joint and chest and rib areas was reported. Considering the difference in experience level among the practitioners, we could observe that most of the individuals included were beginners. Among the age groups observed, male practitioners older than 30 years of age were the ones who presented the highest rate of musculoskeletal injury, especially during training sessions. Conclusion  There is a high prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries among jiu-jitsu practitioners. The most affected anatomical segments are the knee joint, the chest, and the rib region, followed by the shoulder joint. The related factors change according to certain variables, being more common during training in male individuals over 30 years of age and beginners in the sport.

UNASSIGNED: Exercise leads to robust cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and psychological benefits that improve quality of life and longevity for older adults, but accompanying improvements in athletic parameters are less well explored. The aim of this review is to summarize some of the most common exercise modalities, namely, Pilates, martial arts (tai chi, Japanese-style karate, hard martial arts), locomotion (brisk walking/jogging and running), Masters sports, resistance training, and high-intensity interval training, in improving athletic performance for older adults. Regular participation in these activities can have robust yet unique impacts on physical performance that prolong exercise participation. In particular, this review will explore benefits in cardiorespiratory fitness, power, strength, flexibility, and balance, thereby hopefully improving endurance, exercise adherence, and overall fall risk. A narrative literature review was performed to explore benefits, pitfalls, and recommendations for some of the most popular exercise modalities for older adults.

The aim of this systematic review is to comprehensively assess the weight loss (WL) practices in different combat sports (CS). The review protocol was preregistered with PROSPERO [CRD42023487196]. Three databases were searched (Web of Science, EBSCOhost, and PubMed) until 8 December 2023. Eligible studies had to meet five criteria: they must have been (a) written in English, (b) published in a peer-reviewed journal, (c) used a survey design to investigate the WL practices of CS athletes, and (d) reported the WL methods used by athletes using a five-point scale. Twenty-six studies (3994 participants from 14 CS) were included. This review found that (1) WL is highly prevalent in CS athletes; (2) many CS athletes started losing weight for competition as teenagers two to three times a year; (3) CS athletes usually lose <5% body weight in 7-14 days before competition; (4) increasing exercise and gradually dieting are the most commonly used WL methods; and (5) the influence of scientific practitioners on athletes is negligible. The habitual practices of CS athletes may be relatively harmless, but in some special cases, CS athletes also perform extreme WL practices. Scientific practitioners have little influence on their WL practices, which may form a vicious cycle of non-qualified influence.

With a focus on its implications for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), this review study seeks to investigate the possible advantages of martial arts training on attention and executive function. Common cognitive impairments seen in a variety of psychiatric diseases, such as depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, include difficulties in attention and executive function. Training in martial arts, which is known for its demanding physical and mental requirements, has drawn interest as a potential intervention for improving cognitive function. An overview of the most recent research on how martial arts training affects focus and executive function is given in this publication. The results demonstrate the potential of martial arts as a strategy for enhancing executive function and attention-related cognitive functions. The article also explores the implications of adding martial arts instruction to CBT therapies, arguing that doing so might be a beneficial supplementary strategy to improve treatment outcomes. With information on the possible advantages of martial arts training for attention and executive function, this review paper adds to the expanding corpus of research on non-pharmacological therapies for cognitive enhancement.

Kicking strikes are fundamental in combat sports such as Taekwondo, karate, kickboxing, Muay Thai, and mixed martial arts. This review aimed to explore the measurement methods, kinematics such as velocities, kinetics such as impact force, determinants, and injury potential of kicking strikes in combat sports. Searches of Academic Search Premier, The Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, CINAHL Plus, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were conducted for studies that measured kicking velocity and impact force. A total of 88 studies were included in the review. Studies most frequently involved only male participants (49%) aged between 18 and 30 years of age (68%). Studies measuring velocity predominantly implemented camera-based motion capture systems (96%), whereas studies measuring impact force displayed considerable heterogeneity in their measurement methods. Five primary strikes were identified for which foot velocities ranged from 5.2 to 18.3 m/s and mean impact force ranged from 122.6 to 9015 N. Among the techniques analysed, the roundhouse kick exhibited the highest kicking velocity at 18.3 m/s, whilst the side kick produced the highest impact force at 9015 N. Diverse investigation methodologies contributed to a wide value range for kicking velocities and impact forces being reported, making direct comparisons difficult. Kicking strikes can be categorised into throw-style or push-style kicks, which modulate impact through different mechanisms. Kicking velocity and impact force are determined by several factors, including technical proficiency, lower body strength and flexibility, effective mass, and target factors. The impact force generated by kicking strikes is sufficient to cause injury, including fracture. Protective equipment can partially attenuate these forces, although more research is required in this area. Athletes and coaches are advised to carefully consider the properties and potential limitations of measurement devices used to assess impact force.

BACKGROUND: This systematic review aimed to analyze the available body of published peer-reviewed studies on the effects of combat sports compared with active/passive control on cognitive function and electrophysiological markers of brain activity in older people.
METHODS: The studies were searched in Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO databases from deadline to June 2023. The PRISMA, TESTEX, RoB, and GRADE scales assessed the evidence\'s methodological quality and certainty of evidence. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (code: CRD42022361695).
RESULTS: After reviewing 3768 studies, seven combat sports interventions (score ≥60% in methodological quality) were selected, composed of 381 older people (63% female), with a mean age of 66 years. In the selected studies, interventions based on judo, karate, and taekwondo were carried out, where it was not possible to verify the benefits of combat sports in cognitive function and electrophysiological markers of brain activity regarding active/passive control groups, although the individual results of the analyzed studies indicate that the practice of combat sports favor selective attention, divided attention, executive function, visual perception, and cognitive processing speed in older people.
CONCLUSIONS: The available evidence does not allow a definite recommendation regarding combat sports as an effective cognitive function intervention in older people.

This systematic review aimed to assess the available body of published peer-reviewed articles related to the effects of Olympic combat sports (OCS) on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in the non-athlete population. The methodological quality and certainty of evidence were evaluated using PRISMA, TESTEX, RoB, and GRADE scales. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (code: CRD42023391433). From 4133 records, six randomized controlled trials were included, involving 855 non-athletes (mean age = 27.2 years old). The TESTEX scale reported all studies with a ≥ 60% (moderate-high quality) score. The GRADE scale indicated moderate to low certainty of evidence. It was only possible to perform a meta-analysis on direct methods to maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max). The main results indicated significant differences in favor of OCS compared to active/passive controls in VO2max (SMD = 4.61; 95%CI = 1.46 to 7.76; I2 = 99%; p = 0.004), while the individual results of the studies reported significant improvements in favor of the OCS on the indirect methods of the CRF. OCS improved CRF in a healthy non-athlete population of different ages, specifically showing a significant improvement in VO2max with direct tests, such as cardiopulmonary tests. However, moderate to low certainty of evidence is reported, so no definitive recommendations can be established.

In recent years, much effort has been made to reduce the injury rate in combat sports. However, the question remains to what extent these measures are effective. Analysis of studies could provide evidence of the effectiveness of measures aimed at reducing the incidence of injuries. This scoping review aims (1) to map research articles dealing with the effectiveness of proper use of protective measures in reducing the incidence of injuries in combat sports; (2) to investigate to what extent the proper use of protective measures and compliance with sports rules help to reduce the incidence of injuries in combat sports; and (3) to identify gaps in the existing literature and suggest future research on this topic. The literature search was conducted on articles published between 2010 and 2023. The main inclusion criteria were studies investigating the effect of sports rules and protective equipment used during training or competition in combat sports on reducing the incidence of injuries. After meeting the criteria, only seven articles from boxing, karate, and taekwondo were included in this study. Results showed that mandatory head guards, along with modern thicker gloves, significantly reduced the rate of knockouts (KOs) and head injuries in boxing despite an increase in the number of head blows. However, the number of facial cuts increased significantly due to the removal of head guards as a piece of mandatory equipment. The use of mouth guards has significantly reduced the number of oral injuries. Changes in rules, such as shortening the duration of bouts, along with the introduction of greater competencies of referees in the supervision of bouts (the standing count, outclassed rule, and medical stops) have helped to reduce the rate of injuries in boxing. The application of a computerised scoring system also contributed to the rate of injuries reduction. The increase in the number of weight divisions had the same effect on U21 karate athletes. However, a higher incentive to attack the head area in taekwondo did not increase the incidence of injuries in youth athletes. It can be concluded that the proper use of protective measures (head and mouth guards) in combination with the rules established for health protection (higher competencies of referees and more weight divisions in competitions) effectively reduces the occurrence of injuries in combat sports. In all Olympic combat sports, the injury incidence should be regularly assessed using the Injury Incidence Rate (IIR) per 1000 min exposures (MEs). Nonetheless, further studies are needed to monitor how established rules (e.g., prohibited behaviour) affect the IIRs.

Martial arts (MA) and combat sports (CS) are physical activities that may be associated with health-related outcomes. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize and evaluate the available evidence on the relationship between MA and CS training and mental health of adult practitioners (≥18 years). CochraneLibrary, EBSCOhost, Web-of-Science, and Scopus databases were searched up to September 2022 for measures of self-related constructs, ill-being and well-being, cognition and brain structure/function, in adult MA/CS practitioners. Seventy cross-sectional and two longitudinal studies were retained and submitted to risk of bias assessments through an adapted version of the Cochrane Collaboration\'s Tool. Associations between MA/CS practice and self-related constructs were inconclusive for both consistency and strength of evidence. Limited evidence of significant associations emerged for sub-domains of ill-being (i.e., externalizing and internalizing emotion regulation), and well-being. In regard to cognitive and brain structural/functional variables, evidence of positive association with MA/CS practice was consistent with respect to perceptual and inhibition abilities but limited with respect to attention and memory. Evidence on negative associations of boxing with changes of brain structure integrity due to concussions was also inconclusive. Functional imaging techniques could shed light onto brain activation mechanisms underlying complex cognitive performance. In relation to moderators, mixed results were found for activity exposure, expertise, level of competitive engagement (which often covary with the length of training) and sex and type of MA/CS. The MA/CS\' multifaceted nature may produce different, sometimes conflicting outcomes on mental health. Studies on MA/CS represent a flourishing research area needing extensive improvement in theoretical and practical approaches.