• Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
Podcast
  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice
24/7 Health News
No Result
View All Result
Home Article

Power Slap League: a brutal ‘sport’ that may leave contestants with brain damage

January 30, 2023
in Article
0

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president Dana White has created a new brutal sport: Power Slap League. In this “sport”, contestants (men and women) slap each other as hard as they can in the head. A winner is decided by judges after three rounds.

This latest violent sport, licensed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, focuses on slapping the head, with defence expressly forbidden. Competitors are not allowed to move in ways that might blunt the force of the oncoming slap, such as by raising their shoulder, tucking their chin or rolling with the slap. They have to have their hands behind their back while being slapped.

Video footage shows some contestants twitching on the ground after being slapped unconscious. And one female fighter crashed into the podium after being severely concussed.

Power Slap is the latest sport to be added to the growing list of violent contests, including wrestling, boxing and cage fighting. The arguments against violent sports are well-rehearsed, yet clearly ignored by people who promote these contests.

Concussions caused by blows to the head or violent shaking of the head, in the short term lead to headaches, loss of memory, brain fog and confusion. But the long-term effects can be more important.

Contestants being knocked out in the Power Slap League.

We should not assume that participants in Power Slap are unharmed if they do not sustain obvious signs of concussion. Repetitive head trauma in amateur boxing causes injury to the nerve cells that can be detected by measuring the leaking of the brain neurofilaments into the cerebrospinal fluid, even when boxers pass cognitive tests. Similar low-level brain damage is likely to occur in power slapping, where the unprotected head is the sole target of the blow.

These repeated mild head injuries could cumulatively lead to an increased risk of chronic brain injury diseases and possibly neurodegeneration and dementia. As we have seen in boxing, most of the injuries sustained will become apparent long after the athletes have retired.

Only a matter of time

Extreme violent sports can also have extreme outcomes beyond the loss of cognitive function. A punch or a slap does not have to be exceptionally powerful to kill somebody. A hit that is delivered quickly and at a particular angle can cause torsional forces to the neck and head, injuring the arteries that supply blood to the brain.

There are many examples of one-punch deaths documented through the courts. Most neurologists and neurosurgeons, including myself, have dealt with the splitting of the neck arteries (dissection) caused by trauma, and in most cases, the inflicted trauma was not excessive. Evidence suggests some victims have weaker arteries, others were just unlucky in terms of the direction or rotation of the force applied to their neck and head.

While it may be rare, replicating the conditions for such an event is madness. While risking serious brain injury is unacceptable, it is only a matter of time before the game will result in a one-slap death. It will take only a moment, but it will ruin many people’s lives. Is it really worth it for a measly purse of £3,200 per bout if you win?

In response to criticism about safety at the first Power Slap event at the Columbus Convention Center on March 5 2022, Dana White has replied: “The commission is working on it. Everyone is in a learning process right now. They have learned a lot since the March event and u will see that as the show goes on.”

The Conversation

Nikos Evangelou receives funding from the NIHR, MRC, MS Society, and other research organisations and industry sponsors.

ShareTweetSharePin
Previous Post

FDA advisory committee votes unanimously in favor of a one-shot COVID-19 vaccine approach – 5 questions answered

Next Post

Building more inclusive pregnancy services for trans and non-binary people isn’t about a culture war

Next Post
Building more inclusive pregnancy services for trans and non-binary people isn’t about a culture war

Building more inclusive pregnancy services for trans and non-binary people isn't about a culture war

Most Read

What causes stuttering? A speech pathology researcher explains the science and the misconceptions around this speech disorder

What causes stuttering? A speech pathology researcher explains the science and the misconceptions around this speech disorder

December 15, 2022
morning back pain

Morning Again Ache Trigger Is Not the Mattress

October 11, 2021
lower back pain relief exercises

5 decrease again ache aid workouts

October 11, 2021
3 years after legalization, we have shockingly little information about how it changed cannabis use and health harms

3 years after legalization, we have shockingly little information about how it changed cannabis use and health harms

October 15, 2021
Nasal vaccines promise to stop the COVID-19 virus before it gets to the lungs – an immunologist explains how they work

Nasal vaccines promise to stop the COVID-19 virus before it gets to the lungs – an immunologist explains how they work

December 14, 2022
bleeding in gum

When The Bleeding in gum Is Severe ?

October 11, 2021
Good Night Sleep

6 Causes of Good Evening Sleep

October 11, 2021

COVID vaccines: how one can pace up rollout in poorer international locations

October 5, 2021
Ten small changes you can make today to prevent weight gain

Ten small changes you can make today to prevent weight gain

October 12, 2021
Support and collaboration with health-care providers can help people make health decisions

Support and collaboration with health-care providers can help people make health decisions

December 16, 2021
Greece to make COVID vaccines mandatory for over-60s, but do vaccine mandates work?

Greece to make COVID vaccines mandatory for over-60s, but do vaccine mandates work?

December 1, 2021

Multiple sclerosis: the link with earlier infection just got stronger – new study

October 12, 2021
News of war can impact your mental health — here’s how to cope

Binge-eating disorder is more common than many realise, yet it’s rarely discussed – here’s what you need to know

December 2, 2022
Nurses’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination for their children are highly influenced by partisanship, a new study finds

Nurses’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination for their children are highly influenced by partisanship, a new study finds

December 2, 2022
Kick up your heels – ballroom dancing offers benefits to the aging brain and could help stave off dementia

Kick up your heels – ballroom dancing offers benefits to the aging brain and could help stave off dementia

January 3, 2023
How hot is too hot for the human body? Our lab found heat + humidity gets dangerous faster than many people realize

How hot is too hot for the human body? Our lab found heat + humidity gets dangerous faster than many people realize

July 6, 2022
The promise of repairing bones and tendons with human-made materials

The promise of repairing bones and tendons with human-made materials

January 4, 2022
As viral infections skyrocket, masks are still a tried-and-true way to help keep yourself and others safe

As viral infections skyrocket, masks are still a tried-and-true way to help keep yourself and others safe

December 14, 2022
How regulatory agencies, not the courts, are imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates

How regulatory agencies, not the courts, are imposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates

October 24, 2021
Heart disease risk from saturated fats may depend on what foods they come from – new research

Heart disease risk from saturated fats may depend on what foods they come from – new research

November 29, 2021
Late night eating may cause greater weight gain – new research points to why

Late night eating may cause greater weight gain – new research points to why

October 12, 2022

10 Things I Learned During My Body Transformation

October 12, 2021

7 Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes

October 12, 2021
Nobel prize: how chilli peppers helped researchers uncover how humans feel pain

Nobel prize: how chilli peppers helped researchers uncover how humans feel pain

October 12, 2021
How air filters can make COVID wards safer for patients and staff

How air filters can make COVID wards safer for patients and staff

December 1, 2021
GPs don’t give useful weight-loss advice – new study

GPs don’t give useful weight-loss advice – new study

December 16, 2022
Four ways to avoid gaining weight over the festive period – but also why you shouldn’t fret about it too much

Four ways to avoid gaining weight over the festive period – but also why you shouldn’t fret about it too much

December 22, 2022
Five ways to avoid pain and injury when starting a new exercise regime

Five ways to avoid pain and injury when starting a new exercise regime

December 30, 2022
Why suicide prevention support is crucial for people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

Why suicide prevention support is crucial for people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

September 28, 2022
Too hot to handle: Climate considerations for youth sport during the hottest years on record

Too hot to handle: Climate considerations for youth sport during the hottest years on record

July 19, 2022
  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer

© 2020 DAILY HEALTH NEWS

  • Home
  • Health & Wellness
  • Disclaimer
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • DMCA Notice

© 2020 DAILY HEALTH NEWS