Hello All, I'm a long time member but really haven't posted a lot. I'm looking at a knee replacement in my future and wanted to know if anyone has had that surgery and continued to train. BJJ is important to me but I have to be realistic with myself. Any info would be greatly appreciated!!
Yup. 1st surgery - bucket handle tear of meniscus. Sliced off. Minor tear to ACL, to which was left alone. Was in relative pain and regular knee displacement for years. Still trained. And competed. 2nd Surgery (10 years later) - hamstring threaded through the knee as a support. ACL got torn further but not fully gone. 95% pain free 3rd Surgery few years later - remainder of meniscus tore and essentially exploded. Sewn back together. Still training. Good luck to you.
Don't train BJJ but I had a total knee last June. Everyone is different and recovers differently, some quicker than others. Some need a manipulation to get the knee working again. I am having some issues and I still can't train the arts I do. I have been told recovery can take up to a year. Kneeling, or getting on my knees, is something that is a long way off. But if you need the surgery, you need the surgery. And I am told I should do the other knee as well. Also had meniscus repairs on both knees, recovery was very different. Walking without pain and discomfort and sleeping through the night came quicker.
everyone is different. but for me, i've been operating on a new acl the whole time i'm in bjj. i've always felt more safe in bjj than other martial arts precisely because i can tap out when i need to. i would encourage you to give it a go, but in a safe manner.
I had a total knee replacement about five years ago. I was training in Yoga at the time and it did limit the flexibility in that knee. I recently started training in Muay Thai and BJJ and I have had no problems with either. There are some BJJ moves and positions I have to work around, but anyone who is not a contortionist has flexibility limitations of some kind. It does not cause me any pain, there are just limits on how far it can go. I will also say that my balance on the leg where the knee was replaced is not as good as the other, but it is not terrible.
