[OC] A brief medical breakdown of the unfortunate injury from last night’s UFC main event
Rafael Fiziev sustained a serious left knee injury in the second round of his contest against Mateusz Gamrot, bringing the main event of UFC Vegas 79 to an unfortunate end. But how much of this injury was pure bad luck vs a direct consequence of Gamrot’s actions?⠀
Here’s the original post, and follow along if you enjoy this kind of material! I try to not just simply post about injuries but also examine the reasons behind them, using medical knowledge and from my own combat sports training experience.
Disclaimer: the information provided here is for basic educational purposes and should not be regarded as specific medical advice. If you are dealing with a similar type of injury, please consult with a qualified physician to discuss your own unique case IRL
💥 The most likely major injury here is a tear of Fiziev’s left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Slow motion replays show the moment when Fiziev’s left tibia shifts forward with a subsequently noticeable “slack” as the ligament is injured. The left knee also caves inward, potentially damaging the medial collateral ligament (MCL) too via valgus stress.⠀
https://i.redd.it/585vbiv9f9qb1.gif
https://i.redd.it/jhi063d9g9qb1.gif
💥 Fiziev does not fully pivot on the ball of his left foot when he throws the right body kick. This already places increased valgus stress on the left knee as his femur rotates in relation to his tibia during the initial phase of the kick. However, injury only occurs after Gamrot forcefully deflects Fiziev’s kicking leg downward while blocking. This suddenly halts Fiziev’s rotational momentum and:⠀
⠀
1) Generates even more inward pressure on the stance knee⠀
2) Prevents the stance knee from fully extending⠀
3) Forces the stance tibia to internally rotate in relation to the femur, which has now been violently stopped from completing full kick range of motion⠀
https://i.redd.it/3j1xa2vef9qb1.gif
💥These create a perfect storm for injury. High amounts of stress are generated in the knee, similar to when football players tear their ACLs from sudden pivots and deceleration.⠀
https://i.redd.it/975uvwlgf9qb1.gif
💥It’s possible that Fiziev could already have damaged the ligaments in his left knee or surrounding musculature during training camp leading up to the fight. He also had surgery to repair complete tears of the ACL and MCL in that same knee back in 2019. It now seems likely that he will have to undergo another procedure pending results of further imaging.⠀
💥 Recommendations vary, but many experts suggest at least 9 months post-op before a return to full training. Rehab would involve improving hamstring strength and activation, as muscular imbalance in favor of the quadriceps may be one risk factor for ACL injury. Best wishes for a full recovery for one of MMA’s most exciting fighters.
submitted by /u/FightingDoc
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[OC] A brief medical breakdown of the unfortunate injury from last night’s UFC main event
byu/FightingDoc inMMA