Bad for your joints? If so should we care?

jogoeire

Hey Guys,
Ive had been doing martial arts for 3 years then took a years break. I returned recently but have found my joints get really sore - especially hip joints. Im not training with the same intensity.

A little bird told me that martial arts are bad for your joints and can affect you later on in years.

Anyone got any info on this? I mean it might be true.. but I dont fancy sitting on my ass just so I can walk when im 70? Id like to make use of my body god damn it.
What about those martial arts trainer you see that are hitting 60? To me it looks like their decision to keep training has done them good.

I know a man of 70 that cycles 40k each day. Hes fit as a fiddle but if he stops cycling he ceases up. I guess this is the fat of a long term martial artist. Gotta keep training.

Furious-Dave

As far as I know it really depends on which martial art you're talking about. I definitely know that full contact striking arts do take their toll, more so if you compete. Also, some people will say that the practices done in Tai Chi and similar styles actually improve health. Perhaps you should talk to a Dr of some sort.

yomchi

Furious-Dave wrote: »

As far as I know it really depends on which martial art you're talking about. I definitely know that full contact striking arts do take their toll, more so if you compete. Also, some people will say that the practices done in Tai Chi and similar styles actually improve health. Perhaps you should talk to a Dr of some sort.

not so the martial art, but the coach.

Any art that has you blasting your hands and legs into thin air will cause you to develop joint problems in the future, much quicker than any full contact art. In fact, I've never heard of anyone suffering joint problems (per se) from any full contact system.

I do know of many people though, who have had or are waiting for hip replacements, or chronic knee problems and arthritis/back problems simply from really, really bad training methods.

jogoeire

Oh really! Well thats not good. My martial art is capoeira which is 100% kicking mid air (as well as acrobatics & takedowns). I doubt my professor know much about correct training methods as theres no adacemy or qualifications for capoeira. Ill have to look this up and find out for myself. Thanks Jon!

cowzerp

Doctors no zero about injuries or training methods, physios or that area of expertise can help more but Martial arts in general improve the joints and muscles and will keep you healthy into your old age, keep it up.

zappazappa

It really is down to sensible training methods. If you go mad and 'over train' then the outcome will be joint and muscle injury. I have been training for 43 years in martial arts, I'm 57, and for the last 14 years or so have been training Yang style Tai Chi. Most of my early career was TKD (ITF/RITA in the 70s and 80s) and by doing a stupid thing (just once) damaged one of my knees enough to cause problems that still exist today...however, having said that, while the surgeon said I should stop what I was doing, I kept training, my legs got stronger, and although I couldn't do the jumping kicks anymore, got great enjoyment from my training.
I would hope that I will continue to practice / teach well into old age. Listen to your body, hear what it is telling you, and act accordingly.

zappa

JohnMc1

Maybe you should try a joint fuel supplement as well.

yomchi

zappazappa wrote: »

It really is down to sensible training methods. If you go mad and 'over train' then the outcome will be joint and muscle injury. I have been training for 43 years in martial arts, I'm 57, and for the last 14 years or so have been training Yang style Tai Chi. Most of my early career was TKD (ITF/RITA in the 70s and 80s) and by doing a stupid thing (just once) damaged one of my knees enough to cause problems that still exist today...however, having said that, while the surgeon said I should stop what I was doing, I kept training, my legs got stronger, and although I couldn't do the jumping kicks anymore, got great enjoyment from my training.
I would hope that I will continue to practice / teach well into old age. Listen to your body, hear what it is telling you, and act accordingly.

zappa

Who did you train under in the RITA if you don't mind me asking, just being nosey!

pma-ire

i've had to start taking anti-inflamatory tablets this last week cause my hands, hips ans knees are beyond comfortable pain levels!

i put the leg pains down to kicking air when we were training with full speed and power.

in my classes now i only let people go full on when they have a kick shield in front of them.

zappazappa

Jon wrote: »

Who did you train under in the RITA if you don't mind me asking, just being nosey!

Jon, my TKD teacher was Brendan Roche. I also trained with (the now) Master Robert Howard (Snr), Master Tony Phelan and Master Liam Dandy.
We all were under (the now) grand Master K. H. Rhee.
I might add that the TKD we trained in in those days bears no resemblance to what is mostly taught these days...it was tough, hard, and purely martial...no foot pads, no gloves, no body armour, no head shields.....it was brilliant!

zappa

yomchi

zappazappa wrote: »

Jon, my TKD teacher was Brendan Roche. I also trained with (the now) Master Robert Howard (Snr), Master Tony Phelan and Master Liam Dandy.
We all were under (the now) grand Master K. H. Rhee.
I might add that the TKD we trained in in those days bears no resemblance to what is mostly taught these days...it was tough, hard, and purely martial...no foot pads, no gloves, no body armour, no head shields.....it was brilliant!

zappa

Aye so I heard!
I spent of time with Aidan Walsh in Slovenia last year and got all the first hand story's - tough training times!
Liam Dandy was meant to be one tough cookie - Oklahoma 1981!

Aidan Walsh says that only for he took up Yoga early on in life, he'd have joint problems also. He's still nimble as a 10 year old, 61 this year!

Furious-Dave

Jon wrote: »

not so the martial art, but the coach.

Any art that has you blasting your hands and legs into thin air will cause you to develop joint problems in the future, much quicker than any full contact art. In fact, I've never heard of anyone suffering joint problems (per se) from any full contact system.

I do know of many people though, who have had or are waiting for hip replacements, or chronic knee problems and arthritis/back problems simply from really, really bad training methods.

Ye perhaps you're right. Maybe it is more of a traditional Martial Arts thing. Though I wouldn't just blame blasting strikes into air. I'd imagine striking a heavy bag with a lot of power and bad technique would do just as much damage in the long run.

Martin25

Keep to sensible training methods which do not damage your joints.
Some olden days methods which have damaged my joints include,kicking in the air for extended periods. Hitting a makiwara post with bare hands and feet in all weathers. Breaking wood and all that stuff.
Try a good glucosamine and condroitin supplement in a powerful dose not the micky mouse doses.
Stretching helps as does yoga and I have noticed that BJJ training has made me a bit more supple,for an aul lad that is.
good luck
Martin

Paulgar

I am in a similar position to you. I have gone back to martial arts after years out of it. I am nearly forty so it is risky. I do get a lot of pains, but I think as long as I am careful. I live in Thailand and a lot of the old Muay Thai fighters suffer in later years; but then again they train like demons for a few years career. I am doing Tai Chi as well as harder martial arts.

Good luck

HammerHeadGym

The old boys in Thailand are all wrecked because they are trained and fought so as to peak at the age of 24-25.
I would advise to just train as hard as you can, as often as you can and don't be afraid to rest when you need to. And don't beat yourself up over it either.

Lassard

Hi Guys,

I was forced to quit Kenpo in the early 1980s as all of the hard "full extension" air punching & air kicking was destroying my elbows & knees .
This seemed to be the standard training method at the time & the instructor was adamant that this was the only / best way to develop power.
As people were training in this manner, how did they manage to do it in the long term, without any elbow/knee problems ?(I recognise some of my then peers from current Kenpo websites).

L

Crazi_Monkey21

i searched this and yeah its true.

im pretty sure you should stretch your joints or do anything you can to keep them loose.
i think youre 1 year break mightve caused youre joints to lose their strength and flexibility.

Furious-Dave

Lassard wrote: »

Hi Guys,

I was forced to quit Kenpo in the early 1980s as all of the hard "full extension" air punching & air kicking was destroying my elbows & knees .
This seemed to be the standard training method at the time & the instructor was adamant that this was the only / best way to develop power.
As people were training in this manner, how did they manage to do it in the long term, without any elbow/knee problems ?(I recognise some of my then peers from current Kenpo websites).

L

I've never had any problems with my joints during my time in Kenpo but I could well imagine that lashing those snappy balls kicks into thin air would wreck ones knees. However, I think it's more the technique being used, rather than kicking air.

Polgaramc

I'm really interested to see that all the martial arts posts seem to be from men. Are there any women out there doing martial arts? I have been doing shotokan since last October. Given that I'm 36 and have three kids and no previous experience it has been a steep learning curve but I'm really enjoying the process.
Re. the whole joint stiffness thing, I definitely think my flexibility has increased though I would have been reasonably flexible before I started. My big problem area is my hips, I just find it really difficult to kick head height. Has anyone else started a martial art from scratch at my age and if so what is the prognosis for increasing flexibility down the line? I'm not particularly worried about it from a competitive point of view, I do it because I enjoy it; but I would like to be able to do it better.:D

Zen65

Polgaramc wrote: »

My big problem area is my hips, I just find it really difficult to kick head height. Has anyone else started a martial art from scratch at my age and if so what is the prognosis for increasing flexibility down the line? I'm not particularly worried about it from a competitive point of view, I do it because I enjoy it; but I would like to be able to do it better.:D

My partner & I started back to karate some years ago when we were a little older than you, after more than 15 years of inactivity & the whole 3 kids thing. Like you I struggle with high kicks (as my partner does with hers), but I'm happy to simply work on doing lower kicks. It's not easy getting hip flexibility at this age, but it will improve slowly if you train in a sensible way... you're not 18 anymore so don't try to act it. I see a lot of people who have been doing MA for more than 20 years now with wrecked hips & legs, mainly because air-kicking is harmful if you do it repeatedly at full force. Nowadays most good instructors will use kick bags, pads etc to offer resistance and when doing air-kicks warn you not to apply full extension.

iceage

Mong post. Apologies.