Bad knees & MA

scottie pippen

What Martial art is the best for someone with bad knees?


for example - would Bjj be easier going on the knees compared to kickboxing?

youllneverknow

bjj is not easy on the knees.
some times you just have to do it regardless of bad knees or injuries

RoboRat

I have a really bad knee (smashed it 7 years ago and broke it in 3 places with full ACL tear, 60% medial tear, 50% Patella Tendon tear). I had it reconstructed about 6 years ago and I am doing kickboxing, MMA & BJJ now.

Bjj isn't easy on the knees - there isn't the same amount of impact but my knee keeps popping when I am trying to do certain subs as you need to be flexible. To be honest I don't think any martial art would be easy on the knees. I personally found Judo to be OK on it and I would also think that boxing would be easier than most.

I have to say that I take glucostamine, MSM and cod liver oil and that has really helped me. I also think giving up football and rugby was the best thing I ever done for my knees as any MA is nowhere near as bad as football. Also, I do a lot of cycling now and I think this has also helped my knees plus its great for endurance and cardio.

rain on

I used to find BJJ really hard on the knees but I think my knees have gotten used to it or something, or my style might have changed. I find stand-up fighting (boxing/kickboxing in my case) much easier on the knees though.

scottie pippen

thanks both.

I have been taking cod-liver oil & glucosemine daily for the last few years.

Both my knees are in bits, they grind when I walk, and pop and click I get up from desk at work (have an appointment with a physio in 2 weeks - cant wait get them checked out)

taking a some time off squat and Ma until I get them checked out.

but I find that running for kickboxing warm ups, and being up on my feet bobbing/weaving etc to be strenuous, & my knees get really tired quite quickly

they have been at me for a while, but I thought it was normal, now its really sore, a constant dull ache

Dockington

I have to agree with previous posts regarding stand-up. I have knee problems from too much road running when younger. I tried judo and found it very tough on my knees. Started Muay thai 6 months ago and no problems with knees at all

pearsquasher

Bujinkan is perfect because one of it's essential principles is to manage an encounter with the tools you have. If that means "bad knees" then so be it... sure there'll be some things you cannot do but there's plenty you can.

I've seen blind and wheel-chaired students and even double-leg amputees get on brilliantly... so bad knees should be no problem!

It's against the basic premise of a martial art i.e. "self-protection" to train in a way that aggravates a condition or injury.... so if that martial art doesn't offer ways of movement that don't circumvent the injury, stop doing it... that's basic "self defence" thinking.

chrismon

I found Kickboxing very tough on my knees.
Had physio and she wants me to give it completely as my knees keep getting worse.
Think mine were ****ed to begin with from being a electrician though.

Peetrik

It might well depend on what way you knees are 'bad'. I had knee trouble when I started running a lot to improve my cardio and went to a physio, she said the best thing I could do was pack the area with muscle. So switching to a style that is less knee intensive might be less beneficial than something that gives your knee a workout...

Maybe best going to a physio and asking them for exercises that will improve your particular problem?


Anyway the bad knee might be part of the perfectly normal process of turning into batman since you've been training so hard.

pipedev

I think its safe to say most martial arts are going to be tough on your knees whether your holding someone in guard/powering for a double leg or kicking the pads. I had knee trouble from running on roads which in turn gave me back problems. In my experience doing two things really helps - stretching and strengthening.

I work a lot on the hamstrings, quads, calfs, lower back and core. If these areas are strong then your knees are going to be very stable - free weight squats, dead lifts, stiff leg deadlifts, lunges & core exercises are great for this.
Stretching is equally important and I try and do 10-15 mins everyday - you would be surprised how much looser you feel after a couple of months.

I knows it expensive but it might be worth going to a professional to put together a program and show you each exercise

CIARAN_BOYLE

Peetrik wrote: »

It might well depend on what way you knees are 'bad'. I had knee trouble when I started running a lot to improve my cardio and went to a physio, she said the best thing I could do was pack the area with muscle. So switching to a style that is less knee intensive might be less beneficial than something that gives your knee a workout...

Agreed that was the advice I got as well.

scottie pippen wrote: »

Both my knees are in bits, they grind when I walk, and pop and click I get up from desk at work (have an appointment with a physio in 2 weeks - cant wait get them checked out)

I had the pop and click issue when getting up and going up or down stairs and I was told that it was made worse because the quads and calves weren't fully stabilizing the knees.

scottie pippen

Thanks for all the comments & advice, definitely give me a lot to think about

Definitely seeing a physio.

I started kickboxing a year ago,
before this - I was doing a lot of strength training
heavy squats, dead-lifts etc, I have wound the volume but down over the last few months in favour of more cardio.

I'm starting to think running/cardio is causing the problem, either this - or I did some damage to my knees doing squats or over training.


or it could be old age......;)

RoboRat

Definitely seeing a physio.

I started kickboxing a year ago,
before this - I was doing a lot of strength training
heavy squats, dead-lifts etc, I have wound the volume but down over the last few months in favour of more cardio.

I'm starting to think running/cardio is causing the problem, either this - or I did some damage to my knees doing squats or over training.


or it could be old age......

Perhaps the reason you are getting problems is because you have stopped doing strength training on your knees and now the muscle is looser and not as compacted which in turn is causing problems.

I wouldn't stop doing cardio, just change what you do... for me running isn't an option as I am limping for 2 days after. I started cycling and I love it, other options are swimming, running in water or rowing. All very good for cardio and leg muscles, but nowhere near as hard on them.

As for old age, it happens to all of us... I'm 35 now and my injuries from the past are catching up with me (I have broken practically every bone bar my spine!) but I push through it as if I don't, I know it will be 100 times worse! My dad is pushing 70 and cycles about 400-500km per week and he looks like he 60. He is in great shape but although it hurts to train, he does it as he has so many friends who find it hard to walk to the shops due to becoming more and more inactive.

My advice, find a cardio exercise that suits you and find a MA that suits you and go with that. There is no point in doing permanent damage that you will have to live with later in life, but you do need to keep active. I gave up football which I absolutely loved but I knew it was doing me damage.

Also, see a professional, its money well spent.

Kenpo

I'd try Escrima, Wing Chun, Taichi, Kenpo (you can avoid certain techniques and keep your kicks light), Boxing.

Avoid TKD and shotokan, very hard on the knee's.

scottie pippen

Turns out My knees aren't the problem, collapsed arches in my feet and tight hamstrings are making my knees hurt

In the process of getting it all sorted.

anyone else have collapsed arches and how did it effect you with your training?

RoboRat

Yeah I had a bad problem with the arches in my feet but it was because of my knee injury. Left my knees in bits after training so I got the inserts and wore them every day and it has helped a lot.

Unfortunately I have just done my good knee in so I am back to square 1 :-(

chrismon

scottie pippen wrote: »

Turns out My knees aren't the problem, collapsed arches in my feet and tight hamstrings are making my knees hurt

In the process of getting it all sorted.

anyone else have collapsed arches and how did it effect you with your training?

I have flat feet/over pronanation.
This does affect my knees aswell .
Bought decent trainers designed for overpronation and running is so much easier.
Not training at all at the moment.
Back to the gym next week to try and build up my legs again.
Hope you get sorted mate.

scottie pippen

RoboRat wrote: »

Yeah I had a bad problem with the arches in my feet but it was because of my knee injury. Left my knees in bits after training so I got the inserts and wore them every day and it has helped a lot.

Unfortunately I have just done my good knee in so I am back to square 1 :-(

CHEERS, Its good to know that its treatable, and that insoles help.
Hope ya get your knee sorted.


for a while I thought that my feet were sore from kicking too hard, or from bouncing around on the balls of my feet while sparring as they weren't sore all the time, I should have coped that my knee injury was connected to my feet

I'm really glad that its not an issue with tendons or cartilage!

p to the e

I had problems with my knees for ages and when I went to a physio it turned out I had mild arthritis in my hip which made my knee over compensate and hence feel the wear. After nearly a year out I'm hoping to get back in soon. My advice is don't rush back into anything unless you feel your body can take it or you'll be back to where you started.