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Thinking specifically of Whats the best way to stop a nose bleed quickly? which raises the question: At what point does the treatment of injuries (as opposed to the prevention of injuries) get to be off topic?

I feel that there's a bit of a fuzzy line here (especially since some martial arts include a treatment component), but I'd personally advocate that specifically treating injuries in general after the fact is off topic, while "how do I practice while injured" and "how can I help keep from getting injured" are both on topic.

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    I agree with this sentiment. A better question would probably be "I nose bleed easily, what are some preventitive measures I can take to reduce nose bleeds while I continue to train?"
    – Jack B Nimble
    Jan 31, 2012 at 23:00
  • I don't know. If it relates to a match then it is valid. In many competitions if you cannot stop a nosebleed in a certain amount of time, you are disqualified. In this case, I think it is valid.
    – user66
    Feb 1, 2012 at 3:47
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    The one thing I hate about every StackExchange site I use is that people get really nitpicky about closing legitimate questions if they don't fit the narrow focus the see as the purpose of the site. It's one thing if we start getting taken over by medical questions, but I think we should err on not closing questions unless they are really bad. It's very frustrating to the question asker and often the questions are useful to the community as a whole even if they aren't a perfect fit.
    – Ryan Elkins
    Feb 1, 2012 at 18:57
  • Now that the faq has been pushed out, there is still some kinks in working out the injuries topic. David H. Clements has opened up a new discussion to narrow this down.
    – user15
    Apr 4, 2012 at 17:09

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I think it's on topic for martial arts training. Injury prevention, treatment ( which doesn't require a doctor), and training with injuries are a key part of many martial artists training. Especially the more sports oriented arts.

I think once the medical advice is at the point where you need to see a doctor, its off topic. But for basic treatment of typical martial arts injuries, that's right on topic.

but then, depends if you think of this place as about "martial arts themselves" or about people who practice marital arts and want to ask questions related to training ( or both )

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Injuries are bound to happen in martial arts. Robert Cartaino posted a really nice answer on the Fitness & Nutrition meta a year ago where we had the same issue:

Like anything else you read on the internet, there's a degree of responsibility and caution that falls on both the askers and answerers. Don't ask us when it is okay for you to resume weightlifting if you've just be diagnosed with heart problems. It sounds trite to constantly hear "Talk to your doctor", but sometimes, it is the only advice. At the same time, folks answering questions shouldn't throw around wild generalities when the author has not provided sufficient information.

The Fitness & Nutrition FAQ states

wellness, general health, medical advice and injuries unrelated to exercise

as off-topic, but we consider "injury prevention" as on-topic so long as there is a connection to fitness. I think we should take a similar approach here. Preventing and treating injuries related to martial arts (and note these subjects should be handled with care) are on-topic. I think what's been discussed on the site about injury so far is appropriate (even though not necessarily in depth).

For this site, I would consider this example to be on-topic:

and this as off-topic:

That question is too general in its current format, but something like what Jack B. Nimble suggested could make it better and more appropriate. I agree with what David H. Clements proposed in his question, "that specifically treating injuries in general after the fact is off topic, while 'how do I practice while injured' and 'how can I help keep from getting injured' are both on topic."

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    Interestingly, many arts have certain first-aid related techniques in their curriculum. Sometimes an appropriate answer might include that treatment as it is related directly to the martial arts in which it's taught (I believe it's Yoshin-ryu that teaches a method of bouncing ones testicles back into place after a firm kick to the beans). These should be given with the caveat that they are taught as part of a martial art and not through a medical program, though...
    – stslavik
    Mar 27, 2012 at 18:21
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    @stslavik Agreed, hence the responsibility part on the askers and answerers. For the topics you pointed out, I think that can easily fall under "characteristics, regimens, and culture of martial arts systems" that I proposed in a "finalized" faq.
    – user15
    Mar 28, 2012 at 2:16

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