Messed up knees

[Spartacus Maximus]

Training in ways that cause injuries over time is something everyone practising martial arts ought to consider. Years of moving incorrectly eventually lead to painful joints and knees.

Do you or anyone have such issues that are a direct result of cumulative damage from training?

[MatsuShinshii]

Training in ways that cause injuries over time is something everyone practising martial arts ought to consider. Years of moving incorrectly eventually lead to painful joints and knees.

Do you or anyone have such issues that are a direct result of cumulative damage from training?

I had ACL replacement a few years back but it was not due to cumulative damage but a misjudgment on my part when sparring with one of my senior students. He swept, my foot was planted, the rest is history.

I will say that I have a touch of arthritis in both knee's and hand but I don't know whether to contribute that to training of construction.

Either way if you are using your legs in any sport you will at some point pay a price for it. But if you love what you do it is a small and acceptable price to pay. I certainly don't regret training when my knees ache in the winter or when it rains. It's just part of life and getting old. If you sit at a desk all your life you may save your knees but your circulation is bad.

The point is no matter what you do age and problems inherent to the tasks that you do will catch up. A reason to not do them? Not to me.

[bushido_man96]

My knees are in horrible shape after 20+ years of kicking in TKD. I think the cartilage in one of them might be gone, as it feels like it grinds quite a bit. When I move my lower leg back and forth, I can hear my knees talking to me. I don't think that's a good thing.

[MatsuShinshii]

My knees are in horrible shape after 20+ years of kicking in TKD. I think the cartilage in one of them might be gone, as it feels like it grinds quite a bit. When I move my lower leg back and forth, I can hear my knees talking to me. I don't think that's a good thing.

Yep I would have to agree with you. My knee's pop from time to time but they are not grinding yet. I have heard of this but, knock on wood, not first hand.

I feel for you. Can you still train or are you past the point of training? If you are it's definitely not the end of your carrier. I was down for a month and couldn't do much of anything for 6. I still was able to teach class those last five months albeit without showing takedown or kicking techniques. I incorporated one of my Yudansha students to help in that department.

I always have heard that once your body goes it's pretty much over but I see it differently. Your body might have gone but you still have a treasure trove of knowledge to pass on. I guess the moral of the story is life does not end after you loose the ability to do something. You can still teach and from my experience, quite effectively.

[JR 137]

My knees are in horrible shape after 20+ years of kicking in TKD. I think the cartilage in one of them might be gone, as it feels like it grinds quite a bit. When I move my lower leg back and forth, I can hear my knees talking to me. I don't think that's a good thing.

Yep I would have to agree with you. My knee's pop from time to time but they are not grinding yet. I have heard of this but, knock on wood, not first hand.

I feel for you. Can you still train or are you past the point of training? If you are it's definitely not the end of your carrier. I was down for a month and couldn't do much of anything for 6. I still was able to teach class those last five months albeit without showing takedown or kicking techniques. I incorporated one of my Yudansha students to help in that department.

I always have heard that once your body goes it's pretty much over but I see it differently. Your body might have gone but you still have a treasure trove of knowledge to pass on. I guess the moral of the story is life does not end after you loose the ability to do something. You can still teach and from my experience, quite effectively.

My teacher has had both hips replaced, and he's getting close to needing one of them redone (they only last so long). Needless to say he doesn't demonstrate too many high kicks. I've only seen him spar once (with me during my 4th kyu test).

It doesn't matter if the teacher can demonstrate. A teach can have senior students demonstrate. It doesn't matter if a teacher can spar. The teacher's personal abilities are irrelevant IMO. What matters is if the teacher can teach. The teacher needs to be able to see the faults in the students' technique and methods, and correct those faults in a way the students can understand and implement them.

Also, everyone ages. Some people refuse to accept it and adapt. Those people injure themselves further and further, and get to a point that they're not physically capable anymore or they're ineffective. The wise person accepts the fact that they're aging and will continue to age, and adapts to it.

Take a look at Jerry Rice. He played far past his physical prime because he constantly changed his approach when necessary. When he started slowing down, he focused more on his routes and evading tacklers more. Randy Moss and Terrell Owens refused to do so. They thought they could still outrun any defender. Once they weren't the fastest guys on the field, they "got old" really quickly.

If you're coming up on a hip replacement, work on your hands to compensate. If you can only spar for 5 minutes before your body is in too much pain, or you're not as evasive and strong as you previously were, get crafty. Train smart.

[Alan Armstrong]

Chinese have a nickname for knees, they call them "Tofu"

More than forty years ago for me, trail bike riding was alot of fun, without protective clothing.

Busted Knees is the price one has to pay.

Evel Knievel (Robert Craig) was the bravest and coolest guy on the planet for me, with his motorcycle stunts. As he broke most of the bones in his body, some more than twice.

Another past time that wasn't good for prolonging healthy knees for me was "Break Dancing" stunts.

Practicing Muay Thai kicking techniques on stationary objects has put me out of action for months at a time.

Despite having some squeaky Tofu knees, I condition the muscles around them, by wearing ankle weights. also when (deep) stretching, I will wear heavy duty skateboard knee protection.

Pleas note: (Doctors don't (usually) recommend wearing ankle weights as they can be damaging to knees)

Self prescribed; I take daily:

Omega 3 fish oil tablets 1000mg

Glucosamine Sulphate tables 750mg

Odorless Garlic Extract 2mg

[tallgeese]

Athletes of any endeavor will wear out their body far quicker than non-athletes. This is just the way of it. Even moving correctly will eventually wear. Now, add in incidental contact that is so common in the arts and it's easy to even accelerate that wear.

The key is to manage that as best as possible. DOn't put yourself in positions to push past your envelope as you age. Do some strengthening on the side to keep your joints supported. Stretch a bit or do yoga for flexibility. These sorts of things go along way to minimizing damage over the years.

[Alan Armstrong]

Athletes of any endeavor will wear out their body far quicker than non-athletes. This is just the way of it. Even moving correctly will eventually wear. Now, add in incidental contact that is so common in the arts and it's easy to even accelerate that wear.

The key is to manage that as best as possible. DOn't put yourself in positions to push past your envelope as you age. Do some strengthening on the side to keep your joints supported. Stretch a bit or do yoga for flexibility. These sorts of things go along way to minimizing damage over the years.

Agree whole heartedly with you tallgeese. My workouts can start off very easy and steadily and grow in intensity.

I keep in mind the story of crossing from one cliff to another, by firing an arrow with a cotton thread attached, that is tied to a string, that is tied to a rope, that is attached to a thin steel cable and so on...

I do what I can to improve my circulation, as they saying goes "Flowing water never becomes stale"

As we become older recovery time from workouts become slower and pre-warm-ups before workouts should by choice take longer, to prevent self induced accidents.

[MatsuShinshii]

Just like any mechanical working part, the harder and longer that you work it, the quicker it will wear down. Engines do not last forever and neither do body parts.

Having said that and understanding the cost, I would not change anything over the years. I have arthritis in my knuckles but still practice on a Makiwara every day. My knees are going by the way side but I still perform my Kata's and Hojo Undo every day.

If they told me that I could stop now and never have a problem or continue and be screwed up in 4 years, I'd train for those four years and enjoy every moment. Some would disagree but I can not imagine life without Karate. To me it is life.

If you love something and it gives you enjoyment, cherish every minute of it. The body is going to wear out with age anyway. Why not enjoy the things you love before it does?

[MatsuShinshii]

Sorry double posted.