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Well my life just got thrown for a loop.
Around 2014 I started having lots of pain in both my shoulders. They constantly ached and slowly but surely I started to lose range of motion. I was still competing a lot at the time and had a mantra of just ignore the pain. I was in a good phase medaling at pans and master worlds as a brown belt and taking a bronze at pans my first year as a blackbelt. I figured I had torn Labrum's but just thought I'd take care of it down the road.
Fast forward to 2018 and was at a point where I could no longer raise my hands above shoulder level and could no longer even do one push-up. I figured time to get the shoulders fixed. After a MRI an orthopedic surgeon told me I had bone tumors (benign) growing on the head of both of my humorous bones ( the arm bone connecting to the shoulder)
These were basically jagged bone spurs that had shredded my Labrum's to the lint surgery couldn't fix it. Doc told me I had the equivalent of arthritic shoulders of an 80 year old man. He said the only way I could get relief was a full shoulder replacement. Problem was I am too young a candidate and that the replacements aren't durable so that would be the end of contact sports. I make my living Teaching bjj so we decided I would just ride it out as long as possible.
With the knowledge I started my own school with the hope I could set up something that I could run and make a living off once I can no longer be on the mat. Everything went great I had 130 students within 1 year and was setting myself up where I could afford to bring in an instructor when the day comes. Then stupid Covid hit. I spent pretty much all of Covid doing private lessons 5-6 a day trying to keep the academy from closing.
I think all the wear and tear of that though pushed my shoulders over the edge. Constant pain and now can't lift my elbows past nipple level. Saw surgeon again who said I'm now in end stage arthritis. I have chunks of bone breaking off the humorous just floating around now. If I don't get the shoulders replaced now they won't be able to do it in the future. Going to do my right arm first in September. Looks my days of rolling have come to an end.
I've told my students I'm getting surgery but haven't told them the extent of the injury. Still in denial I guess
I've never had any job but Bjj as an adult and the idea of life without training is very scary to me. Moral of the story I guess is appreciate what you got before it's gone. Also take care of your body
Here is a clip of what turned out to be my final competition match. Luckily got to go out with gold
Around 2014 I started having lots of pain in both my shoulders. They constantly ached and slowly but surely I started to lose range of motion. I was still competing a lot at the time and had a mantra of just ignore the pain. I was in a good phase medaling at pans and master worlds as a brown belt and taking a bronze at pans my first year as a blackbelt. I figured I had torn Labrum's but just thought I'd take care of it down the road.
Fast forward to 2018 and was at a point where I could no longer raise my hands above shoulder level and could no longer even do one push-up. I figured time to get the shoulders fixed. After a MRI an orthopedic surgeon told me I had bone tumors (benign) growing on the head of both of my humorous bones ( the arm bone connecting to the shoulder)
These were basically jagged bone spurs that had shredded my Labrum's to the lint surgery couldn't fix it. Doc told me I had the equivalent of arthritic shoulders of an 80 year old man. He said the only way I could get relief was a full shoulder replacement. Problem was I am too young a candidate and that the replacements aren't durable so that would be the end of contact sports. I make my living Teaching bjj so we decided I would just ride it out as long as possible.
With the knowledge I started my own school with the hope I could set up something that I could run and make a living off once I can no longer be on the mat. Everything went great I had 130 students within 1 year and was setting myself up where I could afford to bring in an instructor when the day comes. Then stupid Covid hit. I spent pretty much all of Covid doing private lessons 5-6 a day trying to keep the academy from closing.
I think all the wear and tear of that though pushed my shoulders over the edge. Constant pain and now can't lift my elbows past nipple level. Saw surgeon again who said I'm now in end stage arthritis. I have chunks of bone breaking off the humorous just floating around now. If I don't get the shoulders replaced now they won't be able to do it in the future. Going to do my right arm first in September. Looks my days of rolling have come to an end.
I've told my students I'm getting surgery but haven't told them the extent of the injury. Still in denial I guess
I've never had any job but Bjj as an adult and the idea of life without training is very scary to me. Moral of the story I guess is appreciate what you got before it's gone. Also take care of your body
Here is a clip of what turned out to be my final competition match. Luckily got to go out with gold