Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu after a hip replacement

[jwj3647]

How old are you guys? I work in healthcare and it's pretty rare for someone under the ages of 55 to have hip replacements unless they are high level athletes or extremely overweight!

I'm 42 years old, 5 feet 8 inches tall and do to lack to exercise, I'm back up to 200 pounds. I've been reasonably fit all of my life.

 

[JRT6]

Resurfacing has to be done early in the hip degeneration process and has to only involve the femur. If the acutal hip has arthritis then putting a steel cap on the end of the femur isn't going to solve anything. In a few years that will probably change.

 

[An end for]

I always check this thread out in hopes that you'll reply saying that you're now back to training and you're very happy and feeling better than ever I can imagine that surgery is harsh! Good luck mate, I'm sure you can go back to training afterwards with no major issues.

 

[jwj3647]

I always check this thread out in hopes that you'll reply saying that you're now back to training and you're very happy and feeling better than ever I can imagine that surgery is harsh! Good luck mate, I'm sure you can go back to training afterwards with no major issues.

Thank you for your encouragement. My surgery is in 3 weeks so it will be a slow process but I do intend on returning to the art that I love. Thanks again to all

 

[Hamsterdam]

My dad is 50 and had his hip replaced about a year ago. If you're anything like him, training won't be a possibility for a while. At this point, he could probably go lightly (he doesn't train, but he exercises and stays active), so if your PT goes well you should be able to return. Good luck!

 

[s.c.]

Tom Callos, the man who introduced BJ Penn to Ralph Gracie, has dual hip replacements. He still trains at the Penn academy and can still kick pretty well (he was originally a TKD guy).

 

[J Roz]

I'm 40 years old, 6 foot, 185 lbs.

I was told that I had a slight deformity in my hip joint coupled with many years of jiu jitsu caused the arthritis.

It is true that not everyone is a candidate for hip resurfacing. My surgeon told me that only 10% of the patients he sees are good candidates. If the arthritis is too far along, resurfacing is not an option.

As to jiu jitsu, I was still able to play top position, but my guard has major holes in it with the frozen left hip. I probably could have toughed it out a year or two more, but I am still relatively young and didn't want to be in major pain and start gaining weight from inactivity.

My advice would be try and start dropping some weight and do whatever physical activity you can prior to surgery. The more "in shape" you are for the surgery, the better your recovery period will be.

Good luck to you and keep us posted after your surgery. I will be sure to do the same.

 

[jwj3647]

I want to personally thank each and everyone who responded. I was suffering from a slight depression due to my immediate need but you guys have given me a glimmer of hope. I will continue my training, its just a matter of making adjustments. I will keep everyone posted and I hope that you do the same for me because it will give me no greater pleasure than to hear that you guys are doing great. Thank you all

 

[J Roz]

I want to personally thank each and everyone who responded. I was suffering from a slight depression due to my immediate need but you guys have given me a glimmer of hope. I will continue my training, its just a matter of making adjustments. I will keep everyone posted and I hope that you do the same for me because it will give me no greater pleasure than to hear that you guys are doing great. Thank you all

I'll leave you with a little more hope. I received my black belt in June 2007. The old saying that a black belt is just a white belt that didn't quit is definitely true. BJJ is all about persistence. I've been around BJJ long enough to see hundreds of students come and go - all types of reasons. The longer you are out of BJJ, the likelihood of a comeback is small. I've only seen it done a few times. Part of it is ego, no one likes to be at a high level and then get their ass kicked by lower level belts. For me, having a serious injury and making a comeback is just as hard - if not harder - than training all the time.

During the past three years, I've just been going through the motions and not really getting any better. Pointless sparring with no objective. No drilling, could care less about watching instructionals, etc. I've also let other things in my life (work) start taking up more and more of time which means less free time. This is going to change.

One will eventually get burned out either mentally or physically in BJJ if you don't take time off or change things up. In my case, my injury that just got worse caused me to start losing interest in my #1 hobby.

My point is that after my surgery all I can think about is BJJ. I've just purchased four DVD sets (Saulo R. (1 & 2) and Demian Maia(1 & 2). I've picked up Andre Galvao's drill book. I've signed up to Marcelo Garcia's online website for a month. I'm going to study as much BJJ as I can for the next six months and by the time I hit the mat, I'm ready to go full throttle. I've looked at seminar notes I've taken years ago that just sat there collecting dust. This is what hope can do for someone that is depressed or has lost interest. I have the desire again to take a BJJ vacation (if the wife lets me) and train BJJ multiple times a day. All this because of getting the surgery done. And I haven't even mentioned dusting off the no-gi stuff!

 

[fil]

Crap. I'm in the same boat, Googled, and found this thread first. I didn't even think to find folks at Sherdog with this same problem at such a young age.

I'm in the same boat and about to get THR, under 40 and in shape (or was until I got sidelined last Fall with this "career ending injury" according to my sports doctor).

I too was told that I had a slight deformity in my hip joint coupled with many years of competing in sports and training that caused the arthritis. I've been training and playing since I was 6 in many forms of martial arts including BJJ, soccer, and baseball.

I appreciate the thread and curious to know how you guys are at this point?

I'm bummed because it's just fooed right now. I can't even tie my left shoe or bend over to stretch. I have seen the best specialists in Atlanta (Gladiators and Falcons team surgeons) and having the procedure done by the best hip surgeon in the South. I've reconciled myself to stick with boxing at this point. I don't think these THRs are meant to do Muay Thai to strike a 300lb banana bag with a shin or knee or to play guard and deal with being passed, etc.

I'm not a cop or in physical work, so being sidelined again for this is not a good thing for me.

I'm glad to see there are a few out there that are doing what you can to stay in the game and would love to see future updates on your training. You're inspirational.

 

[knees_n_elbows]

first i would discuss this with your physician, your instructor, and maybe a personal trainer thats a specialist. im sure you'll be able too continue to pursue you love for BJJ. you are just going to have to adjust your game according to your bodies new capabilities, or lack there of. :icon_chee

this is something that might be worth checking out along with a thread with some discussion on the DVD.

Budovideos.com - Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Over 40 DVD by Roy Harris

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f12/brazilian-jiu-jitsu-over-40-dvd-roy-harris-999251/

adjust your game, accept certain limitations of your body, and get back in there to do something you love. good luck!

 

[J Roz]

Fil
Just saw your post.... Haven't posted on this for a long time. I just had my six month follow up appointment and I am fully cleared (except for long distance running). My recovery has been WAY better than expected. I was rolling five months after surgery. I have been doing BJJ 2-3 times per week. Also have been working with kettle bells, TRX, and yoga as recovery. Already have been rolling with black belts. My goal is to compete in Pan 2012 in black belt division. Let me know if you have more questions, I'd be happy to answer as best as I can.

Knees and Elbows-
Thanks for the post. I have been doing BJJ for 15+ years and was pretty close
To quitting since my body was almost crippled. I almost have my full range of motion back and really not concerned with physical limitations.
The BJJ over 40 is interesting, but probably more appropriate for guys starting BJJ later in life.

 

[5050buttflopper**]

ur gonna have to have better technique now so your not straining your joints, do the rehab and im sure ull be good

 

[cneely717]

that gives me some hope. In march i suffered a tibial plateau fracture during a takedown drill...I have a metal plate and 5 screws holding that in place currently. Im 27, which if this happened in my 40's id be "ok" with it I think, atleast a little more than I am now

Ive been out of work since March 1st..no income, had to move back in with my parents. I didnt have Short Term Disability coverage so I was really screwed and didnt qualify for anything

doc says no more jiujitsu, ever....ill have a shitty knee with the metal in it till in my 40s and then a total knee replacement

I hate to stop training because of an injury..."technically" i could stay with it, and just drill technique and stuff...but honestly, im the kind of guy that if I cant do it for real and train for real, I just need to let it go

Its been rough, definitely the most depressing part of my life that Ive come across

 

[EDDIE]

Fil
Just saw your post.... Haven't posted on this for a long time. I just had my six month follow up appointment and I am fully cleared (except for long distance running). My recovery has been WAY better than expected. I was rolling five months after surgery. I have been doing BJJ 2-3 times per week. Also have been working with kettle bells, TRX, and yoga as recovery. Already have been rolling with black belts. My goal is to compete in Pan 2012 in black belt division. Let me know if you have more questions, I'd be happy to answer as best as I can.

Knees and Elbows-
Thanks for the post. I have been doing BJJ for 15+ years and was pretty close
To quitting since my body was almost crippled. I almost have my full range of motion back and really not concerned with physical limitations.
The BJJ over 40 is interesting, but probably more appropriate for guys starting BJJ later in life.

Sorry for the questions. I was going to PM you but then I thought others could benefit from your experience if you would be able to share.

I had my hip resurfaced 2 months ago and all is going well. I tore my hips up doing powerlifting, wrestling, judo and jui jitsu. I hope to make a come back in Jui jitsu.

Were there any moves or positions that caused pain?

How is your strength in a closed guard or triangle with operated leg across shoulders?

Can you think any one thing that helped the most or key?

Were are you struggling the most now if anywere?

How is the hip soreness after rolling? How bad is it?

 

[marian]

I haven't had any hip surgeries, but my pops has had a THR on both sides now so I've seen what he had to go through.
First of all, THR are miles ahead of where they used to be in terms of technology. Even in my earliest childhood memories of my pops, he was walking around w/this weird hop-skip because of hip pain, but he waited 20+ years to get his first one done. He's a surgeon & so knew that the longer he could wait it out, the better off he'd be in terms of technology.

Try to stay away from the metal on metal interfaces (there have been more issues with those types than with the others). The polyethylene seems like it'd be alright, but ceramic sounds like it's probably the best. Talk to your surgeon.
For that matter, get a good surgeon. Schedule your surgery for early in the week & early in the day & early in the year.
It is now possible to get new acetabular surfaces installed after the first THR surgery instead of doing a complete new replacement. Generally, only 2 THRs per person per lifetime (per side). The ability to replace just the acetabular surface is totally awesome as it is minimally invasive & offers people who begin to suffer pain again a less intensive option to try first.

My pops has had both done now (he played football, hockey in high school & college & ran marathons after that & his hips were biomechanically not awesome). He still has some pain now, but it's nothing compared to what it was before. The pain is on par w/what other 65 yos experience.

He got back to swimming as soon as he was cleared & he's back to training in the pool 6 days a week. He swam a 2miler open water 6 months after his second THR. His advice to everyone is to swim more, whether they need a THR, have had a THR, or are perfectly healthy. Everytime I talk to him he asks me "Have you been swimming? You been going to the pool?"

 

[marian]

& talk to your doctor about getting a slightly larger femoral head implant; the larger the femoral head, the larger the surface friction but the more stable (read: less likely to be dislocated) your hip will be.

& I just did a quick google search on the metal implants, & it looks like they've already been recalled. (e.g. this linky)

 

[UrbanSavage**]

Nogueira recently had two surgeries on his hip and one on his knee and will be fighting Schaub soon.

Minotauro’s Guardian Angel

This article talks about the surgeries and the rehab he had to go through afterwards.

 

[fil]

I'm on week 7 since my total hip replacement and recovering significantly better than I expected. I started working out again week 3 (Precor elliptical for an hour) and started punching the heavy bag and speed bag week 5 without any pressure or pain in the joint, but I'm not pushing it, getting back to working out, and feel pretty good.

I bought a throwing dummy and borrowing a friend's submission master grappling dummy, so will drill with these devices until I'm confident again with a human partner that I can trust and feel confident with. I'm also staying away from training Muay Thai. I'm not confident how the hip will last and not going to be a guinea pig to see if the joint lasts and for how long, and need to work my boxing anyhow.

Thanks for all the feedback. I thought I was done, but will gradually get back into the arts.

 

[EDDIE]

I'm on week 7 since my total hip replacement and recovering significantly better than I expected. I started working out again week 3 (Precor elliptical for an hour) and started punching the heavy bag and speed bag week 5 without any pressure or pain in the joint, but I'm not pushing it, getting back to working out, and feel pretty good.

I bought a throwing dummy and borrowing a friend's submission master grappling dummy, so will drill with these devices until I'm confident again with a human partner that I can trust and feel confident with. I'm also staying away from training Muay Thai. I'm not confident how the hip will last and not going to be a guinea pig to see if the joint lasts and for how long, and need to work my boxing anyhow.

Thanks for all the feedback. I thought I was done, but will gradually get back into the arts.

What type of hip replacement due you have? Is it metal on metal? Is it a large ball?