A few questions for the grapplers.

[phantom]

The grappling arts cause many injuries to their practitioners, especially to the elbows, knees, and neck. Football players often get many of the same injuries, and many of the them acquire arthrits later on in life as a result, even with all of the protective gear that they wear. Have there been any studies that show a correlation between the grappling arts and acquiring arthritis later on in life? if so, is there any way to prevent arthritis? Also, have the relatively common occurence of the injuries you have received as a result of practicing the grappling arts ever hurt your ability to either get or keep a job? If so, have you ever been able to find a steady job since? Thanks in advance.

[Lowlynobody]

......is there any way to prevent arthritis?

Dit Da Jow can help heal stressed/damaged joints and thus stave off arthritis or so those who know more than I tell me.
I think Dit Da means bone setting?
I can personaly say that it has helped heal two bone bruses that I have had.


Lowlynobody

[chingei]

Originally posted by phantom
Have there been any studies that show a correlation between the grappling arts and acquiring arthritis later on in life?

"later on in life?" what's that?

[phantom]

By later on in life, I mean years from now when you are older.

[SevenStar]

I use jow also. It shouldn't hinder your ability to get a job, unless you areinjured on a regular basis and have a hysical job. I am a web developer. I deal with VP's and marketing people every day who would frown upon black eyes and such, but they can't see a sore arm or knee.

That said, injuries should not be so commonplace if you train smart. always remember to tap when you have to. If you are being thrown - especially if it's a throw that sweeps near the knee - don't fight it - just take the fall. it's only training, not competition. Nothing wrong with taking a fall.

lift weights, drink milk, etc.

[Merryprankster]

full contact sports cause injuries period. Boxing, kickboxing, etc. It's not unique. If you aren't getting injured from time to time, you aren't training right.

I have managed to avoid a real injury for several months now. Nice.

Proper rest, IMO is the biggest factor in injury avoidance.

[chingei]

Originally posted by Merryprankster
full contact sports cause injuries period. Boxing, kickboxing, etc. It's not unique. If you aren't getting injured from time to time, you aren't training right.

Proper rest, IMO is the biggest factor in injury avoidance.

well said

[SevenStar]

agreed.

[TheGhostDog]

I've done BJJ for 11 years and don't remember the last time I wasn't injured.
I've got a bad back, bad knees and messed up fingers. I do get worried about my fingers getting arthritis though, as even with a few weeks off training they are still sore and the joints are permanently swollen on several fingers. I'm honestly thinking about retiring as my body just can't take it anymore.

[SevenStar]

11? what rank are you? Out of curiosity, what are you doing that keeps you injured, or are you talking about mainly small injuries, like jammed joints and bruises?

[DragonzRage]

I don't know how many people are gonna agree with me on this, but in my experience I have felt that grappling (that is practicing grappling by itself, separate from vale tudo type training) is actually pretty safe when compared to the other contact sports I've been involved in. I speak mainly from my experience doing bjj and a little freestyle submission grappling. I also did Shooto for a couple years and that got pretty rough sometimes, but that's because we practiced vale tudo style quite a bit and Shooto also involves a lot more risky high flying moves than the slower, more methodical and controlled moves of bjj. The one injury I ever sustained from doing grappling by itself was when my ankle got messed up by some fool who didn't use any control with his heel hooks. Other than that, grappling has never given me anything much worse than soreness and muscle fatigue after long sessions of rolling. It can be hard on your knees, but that's why you wear knee pads and do conditioning. Even when you're practicing with takedowns, you're on a soft mat and at least in training, you're not really trying to slam anyone down on their heads. If you keep a controlled pace while training and focus on proper technique, I don't think grappling is really that damaging, as far as contact sports go. Of course if you're older, you're a bit more fragile and your knees can't take as much abuse. The older guys I trained with and the people who probably weren't in good enough shape were usually the ones who'd end up with injuries and strains that'd keep them out of training for some time.

My main training is Muay Thai and the injuries sustained with that are above and beyond anything I ever got in grappling. I get bruised, strained, nose-busted and concussed on a regular basis doing muay thai. There are certain types of people who are simply very fragile and can never really go too far in boxing or muay thai because of this. But one of the advantages I always saw in bjj is that anyone who puts their mind and dedication into it can do well. You don't have to be naturally strong or have a high pain tolerance (altho it helps). I can't even compare the injuries I saw happen in grappling to stuff I saw when I played football in high school. In football, broken limbs, dislocated shoulders, and ambulance rides weren't too uncommon. Bjj seemed pretty safe by comparison.

[SevenStar]

bjj is not really that bad, unless you aren't training right, as MP said, or unless you get stuck on something - I've seen toes get broken because they got stuck while being thrown and fingers broken because they got stuck in someone's gi.

I've seen several injuries in judo - people tearing ligaments in their knees from resisting falls or because the thrower swept at the knee instead of below, various arm/hand/collar bone breaks from people trying to reach out and brace themselves when they fall, etc. I think the majority of grappling's big injuries come from standup, not groundwork.

[TheGhostDog]

SevenStar,
I'm a brown belt. Most of my injuries are small things like knees, fingers, torn rib-cartilage etc. My back does give me a lot of problems though and restricts me from wrestling really big guys (especially fat guys). Lately it's gotten worse so even though I'm only 32, I feel 50 everytime I walk off the mat. I think I just need some time off to strengthen my back and abs before getting back into training.

It's funny with BJJ, as no matter how good you get, it never seems to get any easier.

I heard a saying about BJJ:
Q. What do you like about BJJ ?
A. Everything
Q. What do you hate about BJJ?
A. Everything.

[SevenStar]

Originally posted by TheGhostDog
SevenStar,
I'm a brown belt. Most of my injuries are small things like knees, fingers, torn rib-cartilage etc. My back does give me a lot of problems though and restricts me from wrestling really big guys (especially fat guys). Lately it's gotten worse so even though I'm only 32, I feel 50 everytime I walk off the mat. I think I just need some time off to strengthen my back and abs before getting back into training.

yeah, that sounds like a plan. A bad back can kill you in grappling. I tell ya, my chiropractor worked wonders for me. Have you ever tried one?

It's funny with BJJ, as no matter how good you get, it never seems to get any easier.

I heard a saying about BJJ:
Q. What do you like about BJJ ?
A. Everything
Q. What do you hate about BJJ?
A. Everything.

Truer words have never been spoken.