I’m happy to say that I’m 4 weeks out and hip pain free.
As a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu I’ve lived the adages, “No Pain No Gain”, “Work Through the Pain” and “Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body.” Over my 18 years in the sport I can count the mornings I didn’t have pain easier than the mornings I did.
At 46 I need a knee replacement. I take Celebrex until I can work up the courage for the major surgery. And yes, I still train albeit limited and only with selective partners. Doctors all scratch their heads why I still do it. It’s high time I hang up my spurs, they say. Most doctors don’t know what BJJ is.
For the past 4 months I’ve had pain on the side of my hip, right where the drawstring on my gi pants ride. My doctor said it was soft tissue then shrugged and told me I should stop training. Said it was time. Said I wasn’t 20 anymore.
That’s where Michael Ko, Physical Therapist comes in. He trains and we met on the mat. He offered to help. I shrugged and said arthritis, what can you do? He asked me to let him try. With nothing to lose and everything to gain I popped in for a visit. After asking me to walk and stand and lift he determined that my limited mobility in my knee was causing my hip to compensate, in effect I was dragging my leg behind me. We did stretching but mostly he educated me on how my knee injury, my hip pain and my gait were all related. My pain didn’t go away right away. It took about two weeks and some more stretching. Mostly I pay very close attention to when I’m tired and start dragging my leg.
Regardless if you are a world champion or weekend warrior you owe it to your body to stop ignoring the pain and get it fixed. And if you can find a heath care provider who does Jiu-Jitsu it makes it so much easier.
Michael Ko, PT, DPT
Movement IQ Physical Therapy
614 S Brea Blvd
Brea, CA 92821
714-853-9252
www.MovementIQPT.com
www.PTintheGuard.com
www.facebook.com/MovementIQPT
