Injury is the toughest enemy any mixed martial artist will ever face. Not only will it leave you sidelined, it can continue to affect you when you heal. The thought that it might get re-injured can get stuck in your head, leading to over-caution, further injuries and anxiety.

High on the list for injury pre-hab is getting control of runaway inflammation – a key link in causing and preventing injury.

Root of the problem

In the gym, you know your body takes a beating. Out of the gym, while you’re supposed to be recovering, inflammation attacks your muscles and joints. Even during sleep. It’s a 24/7 injury factor.

Training is trauma. The harder the workout, the more muscle and connective tissue is damaged. That’s why you get sore. Training produces tiny micro-tears and inflammation follows.

Fighters live on the borderline of overtraining and injury. If they are not nursing some damage somewhere, they’re not training hard enough. Inflammation and swelling are natural byproducts of any injury. Stub your toe and the body responds with inflammation as a defense. Then the inflammation goes away. That’s healthy.

But a fighter’s inflammation is almost off the chart. All the time. Fighters undergo a unique brand of trauma-induced inflammation other athletes don’t su er. They’re in combat. Their bodies go through a car wreck, repeatedly and on purpose. Countless injuries trigger sky-high inflammation, which increases the chance of injury.

Inflammation equals injury

Chronic, ongoing inflammation breaks down muscle so you heal slower. You su er delayed onset muscle soreness. You might not be healed enough by your next workout, which leads to premature muscle fatigue – a key cause of injury.

The real damage occurs at the connective tissue level. Inflammatory chemicals with big names like tumor necrosis factor, cytokines and COX-2 attack your joints. Tissue, cartilage, ligaments and tendons are building up, or breaking down. To say that weakened joints are a direct cause of injury is an understatement.

Connective tissue is often the weak link in mixed martial arts. It’s common because, unlike muscle tissue, which gets stronger when stressed, connective tissue often tears. Your joints simply can’t keep pace with the rapid response of muscle.

It’s the perfect storm for injury. Chemical attacks on muscle and connective tissue. Muscle rebounds and gets stronger when challenged, joints more slowly, if at all.

Back to nature

There’s a revolution occurring in science that should help prevent injury for more fighters. It doesn’t come from a chemist’s lab comes from the most unlikely source – Mother Earth. Plant-based nutrients that tame inflammation to a remarkable degree. And they’re hiding in plain sight.

The use of plants to curb inflammation was discounted as witchdoctor nonsense by me and other ‘experts’. It was akin to snake handling. Primitive tribes using plants to reduce pain and swelling were not taken seriously in science.

But a new generation of scientists and hi-tech tools have confirmed what ancient cultures knew long ago. Certain parts of some plants reduce inflammation. And what’s more, they’re actually healthy.

The answer to a problem doesn’t have to be chemicals. Anti-inflammatory drugs can be given only for short periods. Their side effects often outweigh the benefits. So, back to our roots. Nature has this inflammation thing figured out better than any medical professional. Just read recent studies and you will see a true revolution and shift towards plants in the conservative scientific world.

There are dozens of medical studies from international teams of scientists pointing the way to pre-hab. 

THE BIG FOUR ANTI- INFLAMMATORY PLANTS

Willow bark

• For a long time, people have boiled the bark of willow and other trees, and drank the foul-tasting goo to reduce pain and swelling. A clever chemist saw willow trees were in short supply and came up with an equivalent. We call it aspirin.

Tart cherry

• This plant extract’s ability to reduce muscle and connective tissue inflammation is well recognized. Tart cherry lowers inflammation by reducing the chemical attacks that occur after workouts. It reduces soreness, belly fat and more.

Curcumin

• Another anti-inflammatory plant with growing credibility. It’s another name for the spice Turmeric, the factor that makes curry food hot. Like willow and tart cherry, it reduces the chemicals that attack the joints, mimicking the benefits of aspirin and ibuprofen.

Rosehips

• Another potent anti-inflammatory shown to help build cartilage, reduce inflammation and even decrease belly fat. Rosehips are also a rich source of lycopene, which is important for eyesight.