Injuries

[J.K.]

I’ve been studying Martial Arts for about 8 years on and off. I managed to maintain my physical condition throughout the duration of my training. However, the last year and a half, I have injured my knees. I first started to experience knee pain when I was training for a fight. I was doing a lot of thai boxing to prepare for my fight. My knees started to get more and more play in them. I almost backed out of the fight because they hurt so bad. I took about 2 months off from training after my fight – in an attempt to heal the ligaments in my knee. When I started up again, they felt decent for a couple of months but then it started all over again.

I haven’t been able to train as hard as I use to. It’s driving me nuts. Do any of you have a history of knee injuries? Do any of you have any suggestion on how to heal and protect the knee? My doctors tells me to stop using it – which I guess is typical of any doctor. I don’t want to give up Martial Arts – but I don’t want to be a cripple either. I would appreciate some advice.

JK

[Shintake]

i don't know how much it will help, but in my dojo, we do a little excercise that preserves the knees.

Place your hands on your knees and bend your knees slightly. placing your upper-body weight upon your hands, use the weight to rotate your knees clockwise and counterclockwise (about ten times each direction), and then bend them and sit on your heels. Immediately stand back up to the knees-bent position and repeat the motion three or four times. Repeat the whole cycle three or four times or until your knees feel better.

I hope it helps...