to train boxing, found out I only have one kidney, what to do?

[Marziek]

Hey,

I used to train boxing a lot until a year ago, then I found out I was born with only one kidney during a routine check up, which has made me a lot more cautious.

Should I pick it up again? Does anyone have similar experience? My doctor basically told me to be careful, not much else. She didn't forbid me to train, but as I said, I'm more cautious than I once was.

Is there some other martial art where strikes to the kidney aren't as common? Preferably stand-up fighting, but I'm open to anything.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Unless you go for some sort of no-contact sparring system, you're going to get hit.
You can mitigate the risk to some degree by positioning your kidney on the side least likely to be hit.
Many (most?) places would probably allow you to wear some sort of kidney belt.

The risk of serious injury to the kidney is really pretty low, but it's up to you to decide what level of risk is worthwhile.

 

[skribs]

Join a martial art that has kids classes and do light-contact sparring with the kids.

We had a kid with a different birth defect of an organ. In his early teens he wasn't allowed to spar adults, but now that the organ is healing he can. He had no problem sparring kids.

 

[Tez3]

Join a martial art that has kids classes and do light-contact sparring with the kids.

We had a kid with a different birth defect of an organ. In his early teens he wasn't allowed to spar adults, but now that the organ is healing he can. He had no problem sparring kids.

Sparring kids can be worse than sparring adults as often they less control and to be honest I don't think a grown man would want to spar kids.
I would go for the most experienced people you can find, in a dojo this would be black belts. They are able to control the intensity of their sparring as well as where they strike.

However two things here, what does the OP's doctor say and what does the coach/instructor of where he wants to train say.

 

[Ryan_]

I think you need to phone your doctor and perhaps clarify more about the potential consequences of being hit there, I'm not sure how only having one kidney would affect being hit where the other one would be, unfortunately. However, if your doctor says be careful, you probably do need to be careful.

 

[JR 137]

The problem with having one kidney instead of two is if you damage it, you’re screwed. If that one stops working or you rupture it, you don’t have a backup.

If you have 2 and damage one, you’ve got a good chance at recovery. It won’t be like nothing ever happened, but relatively speaking, you should be fine.

 

[skribs]

Just curious, for anyone who knows:

1. Is a kidney more vulnerable than other organs, i.e. easier to damage or have completely fail than other organs, such as the liver and stomach?
2. Is kidney failure more dangerous than other organ failure (like liver)?

 

[oldwarrior]

I'd seek medical advice before you embark on any MA study that involves contact ...There are obviously arts that don't have contact but that maybe is not what your looking for

 

[jobo]

Just curious, for anyone who knows:

1. Is a kidney more vulnerable than other organs, i.e. easier to damage or have completely fail than other organs, such as the liver and stomach?
2. Is kidney failure more dangerous than other organ failure (like liver)?

generaly, brains and hearts are more,serious, but your pretty screwed with liver failure as well, i don't know,anyone who has lost or even badly damaged a kidney through contact sport, though not impossible i suggest is pretty dam rare, boxers though get hit proper hard all over seem to suffer brain damage, never heard of one getting kidney failure , though you don't seem at all worried about brain damage, you've only got one of those as well

 

[JowGaWolf]

? My doctor basically told me to be careful, not much else.

Find out what your limitations are by letting your doctor know what you want to do, and adjust your training according to that. Good news is that you aren't the only person in this situation, so by asking your doctor you can find more reliable information

 

[Midnight-shadow]

Well, since you aren't allowed to strike your opponent's back in boxing, the chances of getting hit in the kidneys is pretty slim. On top of that, according to this study: https://pubs.rsna.org/doi/10.1148/rg.297095071 only around 10% of abdominal impact injuries result in damage to the kidneys, and you are more likely to damage them in a traffic collision or falling down the stairs than by engaging in combat sports. So yes there is a risk but I'd say (as a non-medical professional) the risks are quite small for boxing.

 

[JR 137]

Well, since you aren't allowed to strike your opponent's back in boxing, the chances of getting hit in the kidneys is pretty slim. On top of that, according to this study: https://pubs.rsna.org/doi/10.1148/rg.297095071 only around 10% of abdominal impact injuries result in damage to the kidneys, and you are more likely to damage them in a traffic collision or falling down the stairs than by engaging in combat sports. So yes there is a risk but I'd say (as a non-medical professional) the risks are quite small for boxing.

Kidneys are far more on your sides than your back. Maybe exposed a little more in the back, but I’m not sure of that.

I had kidney ultrasounds practically every year for quite a long time due to a family history of poly cystic kidney disease. Every ultrasound was on my sides, not my back.

Edit - better way to put it - on my flanks - front-ish sides.

 

[jobo]

Kidneys are far more on your sides than your back. Maybe exposed a little more in the back, but I’m not sure of that.

I had kidney ultrasounds practically every year for quite a long time due to a family history of poly cystic kidney disease. Every ultrasound was on my sides, not my back.

Edit - better way to put it - on my flanks - front-ish sides.

YourS Must be in an odd place?

 

[Midnight-shadow]

Kidneys are far more on your sides than your back. Maybe exposed a little more in the back, but I’m not sure of that.

I had kidney ultrasounds practically every year for quite a long time due to a family history of poly cystic kidney disease. Every ultrasound was on my sides, not my back.

Edit - better way to put it - on my flanks - front-ish sides.

Really?

 

[JR 137]

YourS Must be in an odd place?

Really?

Nope. Not in an odd place at all.

And yup, really.

About 3:00 in...

Several others just like it. Not a single one that I saw has a patient lying on their stomach to expose the back. I never laid on my stomach either. A few times I laid on my side. A few times they also went from the front for another angle. Ultrasound head was never put on my back.

Edit: she said “mid-axillary line.” The axilla is the armpit, so draw a line from the middle of the armpit, and you have the mid-axillary line. It looks like she’s more towards the back, but she clearly stated mid-axillary line. Mattress and sheets make it look like it’s further back than it actually is.

 

[JR 137]

No idea why I quoted myself. And had nothing else to say. Deleted.

 

[JR 137]

Really?

Also, what’s throwing you (and most others) off is the angle. The kidneys are shaped like a football. That picture looks like the football is standing up on its point. If you were looking at it from that angle, you’d be staring into its point rather than its belly. Hold a football at your side, with the pointed ends facing forward and backward; that’s how its oriented inside the body.

Edit: better yet, make a fist and hold it against your side, where your shirt’s seam line is, palm-side up. There’s a little bit of rib protection. Imagine pushing it straight into your abdomen. That’s where your kidney is and approximately how big it is.

 

[dvcochran]

Join a martial art that has kids classes and do light-contact sparring with the kids.

We had a kid with a different birth defect of an organ. In his early teens he wasn't allowed to spar adults, but now that the organ is healing he can. He had no problem sparring kids.

How many times have you been hit with an errant or unexpected hit from a kid? I am certain my scrotum is conditioned from such hits. I suggest sparring adults only, making sure the opponent knows the situation.

 

[JR 137]

How many times have you been hit with an errant or unexpected hit from a kid? I am certain my scrotum is conditioned from such hits. I suggest sparring adults only, making sure the opponent knows the situation.

And those little fists of fury hurt. Smaller fist = more pressure.

 

[skribs]

How many times have you been hit with an errant or unexpected hit from a kid? I am certain my scrotum is conditioned from such hits. I suggest sparring adults only, making sure the opponent knows the situation.

I'm talking about 6-12 year olds who haven't hit adolescence yet. They can make you sting, but their wounds are superficial. I don't think a kid is kicking hard enough to cause organ failure.

Some adults can control their power, but others have trouble.