Prevalência de lesões em praticantes de jiu jitsu: um estudo de revisão

Abstract

Objective: To review the literature regarding the prevalence of injuries resulting from the practice of Jiu-Jitsu, describing their main characteristics and the profile of injured practitioners. Methods: This is a literature review. The search was conducted in March 2025 through the Virtual Health Library Periodicals Portals.of the Brazilian Ministry of Health (BVS), covering academic publications from 2010 to 2025. The following descriptors and their Boolean combinations were used: “jiu-jitsu” OR “jiu jitsu” AND “injuries” OR “athlete injuries” AND “prevalence” OR “occurrence” OR “frequency” OR “incidence” OR “epidemiology”, as well as other variations of these terms. Inclusion criteria were: original articles with full texts available online; publications in Portuguese and English; studies that exclusively addressed Jiu-Jitsu as the object of investigation; papers that presented, in the title, abstract, and body of the text, information about the prevalence of injuries, their clinical characteristics, and the profile of the affected practitioners. A total of 6 studies were selected for review. Data were organized into thematic categories, including: type of injury, affected body region, training duration, injury severity, techniques most associated with trauma occurrence, and practitioner profiles such as age and gender. Results: The selected articles indicated a high prevalence of injuries in the practice of Jiu-Jitsu, with studies showing that 9 out of 10 participants sustained at least one injury in the past 24 months. The most commonly injured site was the knee, followed by shoulders, elbows, ankles, and fingers. The severity of the injuries ranged from moderate to severe, with most athletes requiring medical attention and a recovery period of 30 to 60 days. The most common types of injuries were sprains, strains, and dislocations. Joint locks were the most frequently cited mechanism of injury, with most injuries resulting from received techniques. The most injurious techniques identified were arm locks, leg locks, shoulder locks, and takedowns. The upper limbs were the most affected body region. Injuries occurred most frequently during training sessions. Practitioner characteristics varied, with the majority being male and beginners, typically white or blue belts. Conclusion: The prevalence of injuries in Jiu-Jitsu is high, making it essential for all those involved in the sport to understand and be aware of injury risks in order to make the practice as safe as possible.