100% Boxing did not cause Ali's Parkinson's

[CHOWWOKKA]

All these online PHD's. I had no idea I was a member of a forum with such prestige intelligence.

[Redd Foxx]

I think they are different conditions. What boxers typically get, Pugilistic Parkinsons as you call it, is different from Parkinsons that Michael J Fox and Ali have. Not saying boxing didn't make matters worse for Ali I'm sure it did, but I believe these are two separate things and even Ali's doctors have said they don't believe boxing caused his Parkinson's. " I Don’t Think Boxing Contributed To Ali Contracting Parkinson’s Disease"
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/06/...li-parkinsons/

Yes, they are different, which is why I told him I wasn't referring to Ali, but his statements about Parkinson's and boxing.

[CHOWWOKKA]

BoxingSceneMD.com

[-Antonio-]

i agree. parkinsons is a very unknown disease. ali had very good defense and movement for a heavyweight. even later in his career he never really got hit too much.

sometime things happen for a reason that only God himself knows.

Ali got hit a ton. I disagree with this completely. Shavers took his head off. Norton tagged him, Holmes fight, Spinks. Not even mentioning the obvious Frazier fights.

The causes of Parkinson's are still not fully understood. But they're a combination of genetic and environmental causes. Ali had some kind of genetic predisposition to Parkinson's. Ultimately, all of us do -- if we live long enough into old age. Getting hammered in the brain DEFINITELY increases your chances of bringing on the disease, and bringing it earlier.

I agree with this. Ali probably had Parkinsons and brain trauma. Ultimately I don't know enough about Parkinson's disease. I just know that brain trauma and Parkinson's don't necessarily go hand in hand as far as I can tell.

Edit: Google tells me both sides to the story though I see more articles saying head trauma does increase the risk.

[muslimer12]

Wildly ignorant statement. There are so many people with it that they have a name for the condition, "Pugilistic Parkinsons". You think they made that up for the 2 boxers you are aware of? Do some reading.
I'm not referencing Ali at all, but commenting on the foolishness of the above.

"Medical professionals have called for such a ban since as early as the 1950s. Symptoms and signs of DP develop progressively over a long latent period sometimes amounting to decades, with the average time of onset being about 12 to 16 years after the start of a career in boxing. The condition is thought to affect around 15% to 20% of professional boxers."

Thats not parkinsons disease tho lol just cuz they have similar symptons does not make them the same disease..... like i said roach,ali, michael j fox have the parkinsons disease. Obviously boxing causes a lot of health problems and brain problems, but it does not cause parkinsons disease, probably only amplifies it.

[muslimer12]

I did a project on Parkinsons disease awhile back for school cuz my idol is Muhammad Ali. Brain truama does increase the chance of getting Parkinosns disease but Ali would of had to of had Parkinsons first. A LOT of boxers receive brain truama that will result in lasting effects, but non of them were diagnose with Parkinsons disease specifically other than Ali and Roach. That is why Roach stated that he felt connected to Ali cuz they shared the disease. Yes there is other brain disorders or syndromes the other boxers may of had in result on boxing that has some similarity to parkinsons, but specifically Parkinsons disease, only Ali, Roach, and maybe a some unknowns. The myth that boxing CAUSED Parkinsons disease is not valid, it obviously made it worse nut then many other boxers would of also been LEGALLY DIAGNOSED with parkinsons disease. Even Alis doctors stated the same thing. This thread is only to specify this.

[RiC-DiC]

i agree. parkinsons is a very unknown disease. ali had very good defense and movement for a heavyweight. even later in his career he never really got hit too much.

sometime things happen for a reason that only God himself knows.

Ali took a hell of a lot of punishment vs Frazier, Holmes, Norton etc.. Even in the Foreman fight he took some clean shots that would've knocked most other HW's out..

[GoldenGloveLove]

I don't know what it was, therefore IT MUST BE...
(not a good position to argue from)

Ali took a hell of a lot of punishment vs Frazier, Holmes, Norton etc.. Even in the Foreman fight he took some clean shots that would've knocked most other HW's out..

He's either being sarcastic or is completely ignorant. Ali took insane amounts of punishment. It's impossible to watch his bigger fights without noticing that. You'd have to base your opinion on some of his better GIF's instead of watching his actual fights to come up with him never getting hit too much.

[Furn]

There's two different conditions.

Parkinson's disease which can effect anyone and pugilistic Parkinsonism.

The later can have similar symptoms but it cause by damage to the brain from trauma. This condition won't respond to drugs that treat typical Parkinsons.

In Ali's case he did respond to drugs so it's likely he had traditional Parkinsons. However there are links between concussions and dementia and other brain conditions.

So its possible that's boxing contributed to his Parkinsons but it wasn't the sole cause.

Hard to say for sure though.

[tyger]

I remember reading an article in the 90's in which they attributed it to chemicals like pesticides.