Martial Arts (activity, Apparel Or Equipment)
Twenty years of CPSC NEISS emergency-room records for this consumer product category, combined with demographic breakdowns, multi-year injury trends, and matching recall notices.
Sports Protective Equipment & Gear · CPSC Code 3257
Stable over 5 years
The verdict
Martial Arts (activity, Apparel Or Equipment) carry a danger score of 39/100 (low risk), driven by roughly 28,993 ER-treated injuries a year that are roughly flat over the last five years.
- 39/100
- danger score (low risk)
- 28,993
- ER visits per year (avg)
- 2.2%
- end in hospital admission
- 15-24
- most-injured age group
Every figure is rendered from the CPSC NEISS record for product code 3257 - last data year 2024.
PlainSafety danger score
How this 39/100 score is built
The score is computed from four CPSC-derived factors for martial arts (activity, apparel or equipment) - no opinion, no editorializing:
- Injury volume28,993 ER visits/yr
- Severity (hospitalization rate)2.2%
- Fatality rate0.02%
- 5-year trend-4%
See the full methodology for the exact weighting of each factor.
What the CPSC Data Shows
Martial Arts (activity, Apparel Or Equipment) (CPSC product code 3257, in the Sports Protective Equipment & Gear category) generate an estimated 28,993 emergency-room visits every year in the United States, adding up to roughly 579,855 ER-treated injuries across the 20-year span from 2005 to 2024. PlainSafety derives a danger score of 39/100 for this category (low risk), combining raw injury volume, demographic reach, severity of outcome, and multi-year trend. The five-year trajectory shows that injury counts are roughly flat over the last five years, with the busiest year on record being 2012 (36,065 estimated ER visits) and the quietest 2020 (15,820 estimated visits).
The single most common ER diagnosis for martial arts (activity, apparel or equipment) is strain, sprain to the ankle, accounting for approximately 29,722 visits across the 20-year NEISS window, followed by strain, sprain to the knee (28,795 cases). The 15-24 age group absorbs the largest share of injuries, about 159,510 cases over the NEISS window, and males appear slightly more often than the opposite sex in that cohort. Severity outcomes from the NEISS disposition field show that 2.2% of ER visits involving this product end in hospital admission or transfer, and a small fraction (0.02%) result in fatality.
Beyond the hospital-sampled NEISS projections, this page also aggregates 2 consumer incident reports filed directly on SaferProducts.gov, plus 20 anonymized ER narratives - together forming a layered picture of how martial arts (activity, apparel or equipment) fail in real households. Every figure on this page comes from CPSC-published data: NEISS projects national estimates from a probability sample of about 100 U.S. hospital emergency departments, while SaferProducts.gov collects voluntary reports from consumers, manufacturers, and clinicians. The danger score, trend indicators, and demographic breakdowns update automatically when CPSC releases a new yearly NEISS file, which is why this page is dated 2024-12-31. For regulatory context, consult CPSC recall notices and the SaferProducts.gov public database linked below.
Annual Injury Estimates (2005–2024)
Source: CPSC NEISS national estimates CPSC NEISS national estimates Injuries represent ER-treated cases only
Who Gets Injured?
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 2,609 | 957 | |
| 5-14 | 99,329 | 53,541 | |
| 15-24 | 121,180 | 38,295 | |
| 25-34 | 100,341 | 29,884 | |
| 35-44 | 57,794 | 22,858 | |
| 45-54 | 24,254 | 12,084 | |
| 55-64 | 8,778 | 3,234 | |
| 65-74 | 2,278 | 867 | |
| 75+ | 423 | 1,011 |
Most Common Injuries
| Body Part | Diagnosis | Est. Injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Ankle | Strain, Sprain | |
| Knee | Strain, Sprain | |
| Head | Internal Injury | |
| Foot | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Upper Trunk | Contusions, Abr. | |
| Shoulder | Strain, Sprain | |
| Upper Trunk | Other | |
| Toe | Fracture | |
| Knee | Other | |
| Face | Laceration | |
| Head | Concussion | |
| Lower Trunk | Strain, Sprain | |
| Foot | Strain, Sprain | |
| Finger | Fracture | |
| Hand | Fracture |
Severity Breakdown
ER Visit Narratives
Real anonymized emergency room reports from the CPSC NEISS database.
11YOF PRESENTS WITH RIGHT WRIST PAIN AFTER FALLING ON IT EARLIER TODAY WHILE DOING KARATE DX: BUCKLE FRACTURE OF RIGHT WRIST
16YOF PRESENTS AFTER SHE WAS KICKED IN THE FACE DURING KARATE DX: NASAL FRACTURE
17 YOM INJ LT GROIN AND LT KNEE KICKBOXING AND LIFTING WEIGHTS AT THE GYM DX LT THIGH STRAIN, PAIN LT KNEE ;
33YOM WAS DOING JUJITSU, WAS PINNED BY A LARGER OPPONENT, AND FELT A SUDDEN ONSET OF PAIN IN HIS LEFT LOWER RIB AREA AND SUBSEQUENTLY NOTED A PROTRUDING RIB DX: TRAUMATIC INJURY OF RIB, RIB FRACTURE
10 YOF FELL BACKWARDS ONTO MAT WHILE AT KARATE PRACTICE, C/O PAIN LEFT FOREARM AND WRIST, DX: BUCKLE FRACTURE DISTAL RADIUS AND ULNA
25 YOM WAS INVOLVED IN MIXED MARTIAL ARTS AND TOOK A SEVERE KICK TO THE LEFT THIGH ABOUT 5 WEEKS AGO. DX: PAIN LEFT THIGH
12YOF TO ER W/ FATHER, FOR RIGHT WRIST & FOREARM INJURY THAT OCCURED AT JUJITSU TODAY, PT WAS IN A MATCH & OPONENTS KNEE LANDED ON HER RIGHT ARM& WRIST, PAIN W/ SQUEEZING HAND DX WRIST INJURY, CLSD FRACTURE OF RIGHT WRIST, CLSD FRACTURE OF RIGHT FOREARM
16YOM,JUJITSU EXERCISE AN DEVELOP ANKLE PAIN AFTER,DX:ANKLE SPRAIN
7YOF WAS IN KARATE CLASS WHEN SHE WAS KICKED IN THE RIGHT GREAT TOE DX: CONTUSIO TO TOE
16YOF WAS TAKING A KICKBOXING CLASS WHEN SHE TWISTED HER RIGHT KNEE DX: RIGHT KNEE INJURY
27YOM PRESENTS WITH SHOULDER PAIN AFTER SPARRING IN MARTIAL ARTS AND FALLING. DX: AC JOINT DISLOCATION
16YOM HURT FOOT AT JUDO PRACTICE DX: FOOT PAIN
Consumer Incident Reports
Reports filed by consumers on SaferProducts.gov.
The consumer stated that he purchased a 100 pound dummy that was delivered to his home. The consumer stated that he smelled a moldy odor, but he continued to take it down to his basement. The consumer proceeded to use the dummy for approximately 20-30 minutes. He stated that he stated to feel nauseous and it made him leave the basement area. The consumer stated that for the next 2 day after he experiences headache and painful sensations on the left side of the face and neck. The consumer stated that it is unusual for him to get headaches. The consumer stated that he did not treat it with any medicine. The consumer stated that he also experienced shortness of breath, light headedness, fatigue and dizziness. The consumer stated that he believes that the chemical used to fumigate was methyl bromide. The consumer stated that he conducted some independent research and found that this chemical has the same smell as what he experienced and it causes the same side effects. He stated that this chemical is the most commonly used chemical in India to fumigate. The consumer added that the dummy he purchased was made in India. The consumer contacted the manufacturer and they stated that it was mold. The representative continued to inform the consumer that the smell was the odor of the chemical they use to fumigate the fabric inside the dummy. The consumer stated that the consumer stated that the manufacturer advised the consumer to take the dummy outside to let it air out and if the smell was still there to spray an odor eliminator. The consumer stated that the website he ordered the dummy from provided a refund and they will be picking it up between 05/29/2012 and 06/03/2012. The consumer believes that this product should be investigated since it poses a poising hazard to the consumer.
Hand Injury(puncture wound) occured with mma dummy on Jan. 18 2011. I purchased the bag approximatly 8 months earlier using the bag in our Karate school for that time peroid. The injury ocured when student struck the bag to find there was a sharp object inside of bag which is sewn shut at manufacter. After futher inspection we found what appeared to be a pair of scissors inside of bag. I have made several attempts to work this issue out with Everlast.They requisted all medical bills to document injury after sending them all they requisted, I have not been able to contact them they will not return my calls.
Product Recalls
Search for active and past recalls related to martial arts (activity, apparel or equipment) on the CPSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions
How dangerous are martial arts (activity, apparel or equipment)?
Based on 20 years of CPSC data, martial arts (activity, apparel or equipment) have a danger score of 39/100 (low risk). An estimated 28,993 ER-treated injuries occur annually in the U.S. related to this product category.
What are the most common injuries from martial arts (activity, apparel or equipment)?
The most common injury is strain, sprain to the ankle, accounting for approximately 29,722 injuries over 20 years.
Are injuries from martial arts (activity, apparel or equipment) increasing or decreasing?
Stable over 5 years.
Who is most at risk for martial arts (activity, apparel or equipment) injuries?
The 15-24 age group accounts for the most injuries, with approximately 159,510 cases recorded over 20 years. Males are more frequently injured in this age group.
What happens when someone is injured by martial arts (activity, apparel or equipment)?
Of all ER visits involving martial arts (activity, apparel or equipment), approximately 2.2% result in hospital admission. The majority of patients (97.8%) are treated and released from the emergency department.
How can I report a safety problem with martial arts (activity, apparel or equipment)?
You can file a consumer incident report at SaferProducts.gov, the official CPSC reporting portal. Reports help the CPSC identify emerging hazards and trigger investigations or recalls. You can also call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.
Related Products in Sports Protective Equipment & Gear
Safety Guides
What this means for you
Treat the 39/100 score as relative risk between products, not your personal odds of injury.
- See where this category ranks against every other tracked product. Full rankings
- Injuries cluster in the 15-24 age group, take extra care if that describes your household.
- Check for active recalls on this product before you assume it is safe. CPSC recalls
NEISS estimates ER-treated injuries from a national probability sample of hospitals; they do not capture injuries treated elsewhere or not treated at all.
Data: CPSC National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) 2005–2024 and SaferProducts.gov consumer incident reports. Injury estimates are based on a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. hospital emergency departments. This page is for informational purposes only and is not affiliated with the CPSC.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, scored, and verified.
