Doctor takes Rogan to task for purported on-air statements
Dr. Johnny Benjamin, MMAjunkie.com’s medical columnist and consultant, took Joe Rogan to task for on air statements made duriing UFC…
Dr. Johnny Benjamin, MMAjunkie.com’s medical columnist and consultant, took Joe Rogan to task for on air statements made duriing UFC 131. In an odd piece, the doctor offers criticism of several quotes he attributes to Rogan on the following topics:
Is it a bad sign if a fighter’s eyes are open after he suffers a knockout?
Is damage to the femoral artery a primary source of the effectiveness of an inside low kick?
Does an open mouth leave a fighter more susceptible to a knockout?
Dr. Benjamin on eyes-open kayos.
Dr. Rogan stated after the knockout of Yves Edwards at the hands of Sam Stout that keeping one’s eyes open while “asleep” after a KO was a bad sign. Incorrect.
A “bad sign” was when Edwards’ body became rigid/stiff and his legs began to shake uncontrollably (convulse). The observation of his eyes being open is visually compelling for the television audience, though it’s immaterial from a medical viewpoint.
Dr. Benajmin on what makes inside low kicks effective.
The comment was made that repeated inside-leg/thigh kicks cause a great deal of pain/damage because of impact to the femoral artery.
The correct answer is femoral nerve. Actually the femoral nerve – not artery – lies more directly in the path of such a blow and carries the pain and motor signals to a large portion of the leg/thigh.
Dr. Benjamin on the dangers of an open mouth
During the main event, Shane Carwin was forced to breathe through his gaping mouth due to the blood and trauma to his nose. Rogan then commented that breathing with his mouth open during a fight is potentially dangerous because it would make Carwin more susceptible to getting hit (or have difficulty avoiding a strike).
Not exactly.
Breathing with an open mouth makes it more likely that one may suffer a broken jaw when struck. It also exposes a fighter’s chin and relaxes the neck muscles and thus renders one more susceptible to a knockout.
If a fight ends up with one fighter shelled up, eyes closed, and unable to offer an intelligent defense (on queer street) that is unquestionably not as bad as when a fighter is so unconscious his eyes stay open.
I don’t know how to guage the effects of getting kicked in the femoral artery vs the effects of getting kicked in the fermoral nerve; not sure Dr. Benjamin does either, or even if he has been low kicked. Here is an illustration showing the location of the femoral artery and the femoral nerve. It is not clear how one is more directly in the path of a low kick than the other.
Lastly, leaving your mouth open in a fight is undeniably a mistake that leads to a kayo or damage, no matter how the doc tries to parse Rogan’s language.