BMJ  2007;335:781-782 (20 October), doi:10.1136/bmj.39352.454792.80 (published 4 October 2007)

Editorials

Boxing and the risk of chronic brain injury

Evidence is inconclusive but the absolute risk in modern day boxing is still low

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

In this week's BMJ, a systematic review of observational studies by Loosemore and colleagues assesses the risk of chronic traumatic brain injury with amateur boxing.¹ It finds that the quality of evidence is too poor to come to any definite conclusions. So, do we need to worry about the health of modern boxers, amateur or professional?

Concern over injury to fighters has been a persistent theme throughout the history of boxing. Although boxing was popular in early Rome, the practice was banned by Caesar Augustus, supposedly because of the high rates of injury in Roman legionnaires. The sport resurfaced in England during the 17th century in the form of bare knuckle boxing or prize fighting. The most famous of the rules introduced to protect the injured or incapacitated boxer were the 1867 Queensberry rules, which dictated that fights should be "a fair stand-up boxing match." Each fighter was given . . . [Full text of this article]

Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia 3010

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Rapid Responses:

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BMA needs evidence based policy

Andrew J Ashworth
bmj.com, 6 Oct 2007 [Full text]

what about rugby?

dr mohan devegowda
bmj.com, 21 Oct 2007 [Full text]

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