As with any martial arts, injuries are common in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ).
As I sit here writing this article, I have been sidelined for the best part of two-and-a-half months with a low/medium grade meniscus tear.
What better time to dive into some of the common types of knee injuries in BJJ and some lessons from my own injury on what to do to prevent/manage injury.
What do the stats on BJJ knee injuries say?
Well, according to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, ~25% of 198 amateur and professional BJJ athletes who participated in the study had some kind of knee injury. This equated to a 0.26 knee injury hit rate per annual hours of training across the athletes. This is quite a large portion of the sampled athletes who incurred a knee injury.
The study also shed light on the most common knee injuries amongst participants, of which:
The Medial Collateral ligament (MCL) (38%), Meniscus/Condral (34%), Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) (19%), then Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) (6%) were the most common among study participants.
If we stop and think about the common causes of knee injuries we can start to understand why they are so common among the BJJ practitioner:
- MCL injury is often caused by a direct blow to the outside of the knee and/or twisting of the knee. This is a common training injury that can easily occur during wrestling/takedown practice. Imagine you are drilling Judo throws and your training partner accidentally lands on the outside of your leg, twisting your knee… sound familiar?
- Meniscus tears are an injury to the cartilage that cushions the knee and usually occurs due to twisting the knee under load. The perfect example is lunging with all your body weight whilst trying to complete a Judo takedown, which is how I tore my meniscus.
- LCL is the band of tissues on the outside of the knee that connects one of the shin bones to the thighbone. Often an injury is caused by a direct blow to the inside of the knee, or through twisting/bending in a way that puts stress on the outside of the joint.
- ACL injuries often occur from twisting and pivoting movements. Commonly caused when a severe heel hook submission is applied. Heel hooks unnaturally rotate the knee resulting in stress on the knee ligaments. The torque from a heel hook can cause ACL tears, as these tendons (along with the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)) are the ones that ensure your knee doesn’t twist that way.
What should you do to prevent/manage knee injuries?
I’m going to summarise the lessons I have learned from injuring my own knee in training.
- Preventative strength training makes a difference. It’s something that I neglected until I hurt my knee but something I regularly incorporate these days. And I’m not talking about maximum reps on the squat rack here. Instead, focus on exercises that will build stability and balance such as single-leg step exercises, single-leg dips, wall squats, etc. I use the knees-over-toes guy’s ATG app for a mix of strength and flexibility exercises.
- Be conscious of yourself and your training partners when performing stand-up grappling/wrestling/judo takedowns. It’s amazing how many injuries occur in the training room vs competition. It’s often when we become lackadaisical or over-confident when injuries occur. I always make sure I am practicing throws/takedowns with someone that I trust – I try to avoid the 120kg white belt, who could accidentally obliterate my knee.
- If you hear any kind of knee pop or feel any knee pain during BJJ training you should stop immediately and assess your range of motion. Don’t push through the pain… unless you are mid-competition maybe. It’s better to be safe and return to training the next day rather than the next month because you pushed too hard! Apply some ice, and go see your physiotherapist if it hasn’t settled in a week. Conservative treatment is your best friend.
- It’s still possible to train with some lower-grade knee injuries (in fact some athletes train with torn ACLs, but I don’t recommend that for longevity!). As long as your training partners/coaches are aware of the injury you can participate in drilling and positional training so long as there is no stress on your injury. I use an Anaconda knee brace to provide extra support during training.
- There are compounds out there that can potentially speed up the recovery process. An example is BPC157 and TB-400, which are both peptides that may accelerate the healing of tissues in the body. These require a Doctor’s prescription here in Australia and are not without risks but worth doing your own research. Andrew Huberman has some great podcasts outlining the benefits (and risks) associated with each.
- Similarly to 5. there are supplements available to aid overall joint health and mobility. Omega 3 Fatty Acids (a common component in fish oils), have anti-inflammatory properties and help reduce pain and improve joint function.
Closing thoughts
Having an injured knee can be frustrating and fickle to recover fully. The good news is that us jiu-jitsu practitioners are part of a sport that still accommodates training while you recover. Whether it be drilling or studying instructionals, there are ways to keep progressing your skills whilst you heal up.
