Martial Arts Injuries: BJJ, Judo, MMA, Taekwondo and Karate

Every martial arts injury, by body part

Start from where it hurts. Rows with a link go to the page that covers that injury in full.

Not on the list, or not sure which row is yours? That is what the first visit is for.

The common ones, in more depth

Fingers and the gi

Every grip on a collar, sleeve or pant leg loads the finger joints, and the gi does not let go when your partner pulls away. The middle joint of the finger takes most of it. When a grip is stripped, the finger bends back and the volar plate, the thick ligament on the palm side of that joint, stretches or tears. A finger that comes out of line is a dislocation, and it needs a doctor and an X-ray before anyone pulls it back, training partners included.

Two tendon injuries look small and are not. If the tip of a finger will not bend after a grip was ripped away, that is jersey finger: the tendon that bends the fingertip has torn. It needs a doctor the same day, because a torn tendon that has pulled back toward the palm is usually repaired early. If the tip droops and will not straighten on its own, that is mallet finger, usually treated in a splint that holds the tip straight day and night for six to eight weeks. The thumb gets caught in a lapel too. Swelling on the index-finger side of the thumb base, and a weak pinch on a key, points to the thumb ligament.

We measure the bend and straighten at each finger joint with a goniometer, swelling as finger circumference, and grip and pinch strength on both hands. The middle joint stiffens readily after a sprain, so a hand therapist decides between a splint, buddy taping and early movement, based on how stable the joint is.

The armbar elbow

An armbar takes the elbow straight and then past straight. When the tap comes late, the front of the joint stretches and the ligament on the inner side of the elbow can sprain. Throws add a second way: a straight arm posted to stop the fall, which can sprain the same ligament or dislocate the elbow.

It aches at the front and inner side of the elbow, and the arm will not fully straighten for a few days. Carrying a full bag of groceries with the arm straight finds it. We measure elbow range in degrees against the other arm, grip strength, and how the inner ligament responds to a gentle stress test. An elbow that looks out of shape, or will not bend or straighten at all, goes to the emergency department first.

Kimuras, throws and the shoulder

Grappling loads the shoulder at the end of its range. A kimura or an americana turns the arm behind or across the body. A throw lands on the point of the shoulder, or on an arm reaching for the mat. The results are a shoulder dislocation, a labral tear, a sore rotator cuff, or a sprain of the AC joint, the bump at the outer end of the collarbone.

After a dislocation, the shoulder can feel unsafe in the position that caused it, and many people start tapping early to anything on that arm. We test rotation strength against the other shoulder, the range where the shoulder starts to feel unsafe, and how the shoulder blade moves under load. A shoulder that is still out of the joint is the emergency department. One that went back in on its own still needs a doctor.

Knees: takedowns, heel hooks and kneeling

In the jiu-jitsu research, the knee was one of the two most injured areas, at about 22% of injuries.¹ The knee injuries we see come from three moments: a takedown or reap that bends the knee inward and sprains the MCL, a heel hook or twist with the foot trapped that tears the ACL, and twisting up from kneeling that catches the meniscus. The links are in the table above. A heel hook loads the knee through the foot, so the ligaments can be damaged before it hurts enough to tap. A knee that popped and swelled within a few hours needs a doctor the same day.

Ribs, neck and back under pressure

Side control and knee-on-belly put a person’s weight through your ribs. A bruised or cracked rib, or an abdominal muscle strain from bridging, hurts when you breathe in, cough, laugh or turn over in bed. Being stacked in guard folds the neck and lower back under load, and a collar tie pulls the head down for minutes at a time. That gives neck strain and low back strain. Arm pain, tingling or weakness after being stacked or cranked points to a pinched nerve in the neck, and it goes to a doctor before training.

The kicking foot and leg

Taekwondo, karate, wushu and silat kick barefoot. A kick that lands on an elbow or a raised knee can break a toe or a bone in the foot. Repeated instep kicks irritate the tendons and bones on the top of the foot. The big toe takes every pivot and push-off, and years of it can leave a stiff, painful big toe joint. High and spinning kicks take the hamstring and the groin past the range they have, often late in a long class or at a grading. Pivots and landings from jumping kicks turn ankles.

We compare kick height, hamstring and groin strength, and single-leg hops with the other side. A toe that is out of line, or a foot you cannot walk on, needs an X-ray first.

Return on tests, not dates

Pain going away is the first sign, not the last. These are the checks we use before full rolling, randori or sparring:

• Fingers and thumb: a full fist and full straightening at every joint, grip and pinch strength close to the other hand, then gripping the gi with the tape or splint your therapist sets.
• Elbow: full straightening without pain and grip strength close to the other side, then positional rounds with partners told to keep submissions off that arm.
• Shoulder: rotation strength close to the other side, and push-ups and breakfall drills without pain or the feeling that it will slip.
• Knee: single-leg hop tests and thigh strength compared with the other leg, then drilled takedowns before live rounds, with leg locks last.
• Kicking leg: hamstring and groin strength and kick height close to the other side, then pad work at full power before sparring.
• Neck, ribs and back: deep breaths, bridging and turning the head fully without pain, before live rounds from the bottom.
• After a concussion: your doctor’s clearance, through a graded return that brings contact back last.

Then volume comes back in steps: drilling, then positional rounds, then full rounds, then competition.

Is this normal?

Sore fingers in the morning, stiff necks and aching muscles a day or two after a hard week of training are common, and ease with light movement. A finger joint that is still swollen a few weeks after it was jammed, a knee that swells after every roll, a shoulder that feels like it might slip in certain positions, or pain that changes how you grip, kick or bridge is worth getting checked rather than taped and trained through.

When to see a doctor first

• Call 995 after a throw, slam or strike followed by loss of consciousness, a seizure, repeated vomiting, a worsening headache, confusion, slurred speech or drowsiness; for any neck injury with numbness, tingling or weakness in the arms or legs; and for chest pain or collapse. Do not move someone with a suspected neck injury.
• Emergency department now for a finger, elbow, shoulder, knee or ankle that is visibly out of shape or still out of the joint (do not let a training partner pull it back in); breathlessness or coughing up blood after knee-on-belly or a body kick; or back pain with numbness around the groin or a change in bladder or bowel control.
• Doctor the same day for any suspected concussion, even if the symptoms are mild: headache, feeling foggy, dizziness or blurred vision after a throw, slam or strike. Stop training for the day, and do not roll or spar again until a doctor clears you. The same applies to an ear that swells up and feels tense or squishy after training, where a doctor drains the blood collecting under the skin, because that is how cauliflower ear starts; a fingertip that will not bend, or droops and will not straighten; a thumb bent back with swelling and a weak pinch; a knee that popped and swelled within a few hours; and any child’s wrist or elbow that hurts after a fall.
• Doctor soon for arm pain, tingling or weakness after a neck crank or being stacked; a shoulder that keeps slipping; a wrist that stays painful at the base of the thumb after a fall, even if it looked normal; or back pain with pain, numbness or weakness down the leg.

Questions people ask

What are the most common Brazilian jiu-jitsu injuries?

In a 2024 review of jiu-jitsu studies, the knee and the chest and ribs were the most commonly injured areas, at about 22% each, with the shoulder next. Finger sprains from gi grips, elbow sprains from armbars and neck strains are also common. Most injuries happened in training rather than in competition.

What should I do if I jam my finger on a gi grip?

A finger that looks out of line needs a doctor and an X-ray before anyone pulls on it, training partners included. A jammed middle joint is usually a volar plate injury. That joint stiffens readily, so a hand therapist decides between a splint, buddy taping and early movement, based on how stable the joint is.

What does an armbar do to the elbow?

An armbar forces the elbow straight and past straight. Held too long, it stretches the front of the joint and can sprain the ligament on the inner side of the elbow, the ulnar collateral ligament. Occasionally the elbow dislocates. An elbow that looks out of shape needs the emergency department now, and a sore, stable elbow needs assessment.

When can I roll or spar again after an injury?

Return depends on tests rather than a date. Grip strength, elbow and shoulder range, rotation strength, hop tests and kick height are compared with the uninjured side. When they are close and training does not cause pain the next morning, rolling or sparring is built back in steps, with live rounds and submissions last.