Idman.biz
A tragedy occurred in Azerbaijani boxing a few days ago - 16-year-old athlete Ali Rushanov, the bronze medalist of the III CIS Games, died during sparring. The fight, held at the initiative of personal trainers, lasted approximately 6-7 minutes. During the fight, Rushanov lost consciousness and fell to the ring. He was rushed to the hospital, but doctors pronounced him dead.
Boxing is considered one of the sports where trauma is common.
Idman.Biz neurologist, Ph.D. in medicine and manual therapist Vagif Yaqubov emphasized the importance of regular medical examinations for athletes.
"Each federation has its own standards for undergoing medical check-ups (examination of internal organs). If the athlete has no complaints, it is recommended to undergo an examination at least once every six months. In some sports, injuries occur almost every day, so the recovery process and regular visits to the doctor are essential. For example, football players undergo physiotherapy almost after every game."
According to Yaqubov, a medical examination is necessary in boxing before and after fights.
"The most common injuries include concussion. It is also possible to tear internal organs - the liver, spleen, and lungs. Rib fractures and injuries to the cervical spine are also frequently recorded," he explained.
The specialist also drew attention to one of the most insidious injuries - hidden bleeding, and stated that this is a condition that is difficult to detect without examination:
"Blood can gradually leak out and after a day or two a person loses consciousness. Hematoma is detected only during MRI examination. The boxer may associate a headache with the blows he received, while in fact it is an intracranial hemorrhage. Spinal cord hemorrhages are also possible - the consequences of this can range from death to disability."
Yaqubov also touched upon the issue of protective equipment: "Kapa (a sports device that protects the teeth and jaw - ed.) is always mandatory. As for helmets, it all depends on age. There are certain age restrictions in which helmets are mandatory, especially in boxing related to the Olympic sports."
Finally, the expert emphasized the importance of a medical examination before directing a child to sports:
"This is a good practice. I am often brought such children, the spine, muscle strength, the condition of the legs, curvature of the limbs, whether there is scoliosis are checked. Tears can already be found in adolescents aged 13-15 years. Up to the first degree of scoliosis, there are usually no serious problems with boxing, but after that it becomes risky to engage in it."
