Contact Karate Training — Risky or Not?

[Julien87]

Hello,

I have a contact karate training several times per week and I wonder if the noise of kicking on the "paos" (pads wrapped in leather) can be dangerous for my ears.

The sound of the feet's skin against the leather can be loud, as you can hear in this video:


I've been training in this sport for several years and never had problems with that noise. But I'm becoming more careful with the years and I wonder if this can cause permanent damage to my ears.
Do you have "sound level specialists" here who know how loud and dangerous this can be?

Thank you

 

[JurgenG]

How come you are being more and more careful? I am not in a position to give advice but I know there are millions of people who have a "form" of T, and wouldn't give it a second thought. Not sure how your condition is though.
If you are really unsure can't you use earplugs?

 

[Julien87]

Thanks for your reply.
I have mild T, I only worry about the potential danger this activity represents. I tried to wear earplugs, but it's very uncomfortable when I'm doing sport and my nervous system is "excited", it amplifies my T a lot, I hear the heartbeating and my ears really feel blocked. And I'm not sure it's necessary.. That's mainly why I posted here actually

 

[fishbone]

I come from a martial arts background (kenpo/kung fu). Yes, kicking bags and punching bags are loud and they did bother my ears.

 

[Julien87]

Thanks. It bothers me too, but is it really dangerous?

 

[JurgenG]

Do we know if -normal- sounds does exactly hurt people with mild T more than others?

 

[Julien87]

I believe that if it's dangerous for me it is also dangerous for other people, but that's not really my question.
How loud is this? Do you people think it's louder than a loud hand clap? A clap is between 100 and 110 db

 

[Lex]

I still box, and I have both T and H. The sounds don't really hurt me, though they're leather on leather, unlike skin on leather in your case.

 

[Sam Bridge]

Why don't you take a db reader?

 

[Julien87]

I think I will finally buy a soundmeter yeah.. since I know I can't really rely on my iphone app..

Thanks Lex
Wow you are boxing? what kind of box?

 

[Lex]

@Julien87, just a beginner. I used to attend a regular gym for years just for the dance classes but since I got H, I couldn't tolerate the loud music. I had to cancel my membership and look for another place to get a workout. That's when I found a boxing gym nearby. I work with a trainer who knows my condition. I miss dance classes but for the past six months, boxing has been a great substitute.

I tried to wear earplugs but the vibrations seem stronger when I have them on. But I guess the reason I can handle the noise is because the sound of a boxing glove landing on a punching bag is a dull thud. Skin on leather has a higher pitch. That would bother me, but then again, I have H and not just T.

 

[Julien87]

Great! I'm glad you found another sport that you enjoy
And it's always a good thing to have some knowledge and practice in a combat sport

 

[InfiniteLoop]

@Julien87

Martial arts can produce or worsen T in other ways. There are people at TT that got T from a kick or punch in the ear area practicing martial arts. (@PatrickG). Be extremely careful!

 

[Lex]

Yeah! And I like it because it's easier to pretend to be a badass when throwing punches.

Anyway, I hope you won't have to give up contact karate, @Julien87!

 

[Foncky]

Are you not being obsessive with a potential T worsening julien ?

Buying a dB meter is kind of ridiculous. Where is the limit ? What volume is dangerous exactly ?

If you don't have H, just listen to your body. You say you don't have problems with this noise. Why would you, all of a sudden ? Maybe it's not that good long term speaking, but you're not doing it every day.

If you love this sport so much, just go on as long as you're not bothered. Or find earplugs that you could tolerate, like ones which will only block the high frequencies of the kicking.

 

[Julien87]

Yes this idea of worsening scares me more and more.

The db meter would just be a way to reassure me, maybe I think it's louder than it actually is.

 

[Rubenslash]

You had mild T for ten years, unlikely to get worse by these kind of sounds. Go enjoy your life man.

Just stop doing this karate training if you would notice a short spike or something afterwards.

 

[Mario martz]

Julien! im not expert but i dont think it can harm you,
but! just make sure you dont get hit on the head or ear!
there are many people in here what got t from a splash or during a fight.

i think its normal to be worried, but we need to take our chances too

 

[Foncky]

Yes this idea of worsening scares me more and more.

The db meter would just be a way to reassure me, maybe I think it's louder than it actually is.

No, it will only reinforce this fear you have.

You know the risks, you are smart, you are your best judge. The dB meter is not.

 

[Tweaker]

I used to do karate. I would be too worried about getting hit n the head or ears than anything else. That could make things worse. I gave up squash too because of the noise when the ball hits the metal grill below the red line at the front of the court. Tinnitus can be limiting. I stick to cycling and walking mostly now.

 

[Julien87]

Thank you guys. Yes it can be brutal.. Fortunately the kicks I took in the head did not really harm.. but I think I'll slow down the pace of my trainings and go there less regularly.

 

[Josef Mills]

I would be worried more about a thump to the head, even with a head guard.

 

[bill 112]

Not trying to be a scare or anything but I do know someone who got severe T and H from Karate training.

How it happened is simple really, it came from one kick to the ear and he lost nearly all of his hearing in that ear as a result. Most of his hearing returned in the end but he was left with bad T as a result and as such gave up the sport soon after.

Just be careful, I'm sure a head guard can prevent such an injury but I would excercise extreme caution. The noise of the sport itself I'm sure wouldn't be an issue, you can be the judge if it's too much or not.

 

[PatrickG]

Kung fu training gave me very severe T after a kick on my right ear.

 

[Julien87]

I have read your story yesterday, sorry to hear this

 

[fishbone]

I just started a new full defense martial arts system and they use lots of pads for all over the body. I careless for my tinnitus because it is already at insane levels, I just dont want to lose more hearing. This is my dream martial art and i have wanted to do such a system as a kid. Its a brutal physically and mentally.My tinnitus wants me to stop but i will not listen to it. I might try ear plugs or cotton in the ear though.

 

[Julien87]

Nice, what is it called?

 

[fishbone]

I have started my new Martial Arts school and they use lots of bags for punching kicking and body shots and it is loud when the bags are hit. My tinnitus has not gotten worst and my hearing has not gotten worst. I don't care for the tinnitus as much, as i do for further damaging my hearing...

 

[racerfish]

I'd use a decibel meter app and just measure the loudness.