One of the most common injuries whilst training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a torn meniscus. Sadly, human knees can and do get injured regularly. As BJJ can be quite hard on your knees and body due to various submissions and stress positions, the two often go hand in hand.
In this article, we shall assess whether it’s possible to continue training with a torn meniscus and how long it takes to heal. We’ll also be looking at the most efficient ways of rolling with a torn meniscus that hopefully keep you safe whilst still having the ability to train. As always with injuries though, it’s good advice to have time off to heal and listen to your body. Remember, the mats will always be there when you return and that way, there’s no chance of worsening an injury and making it more serious.
Table of Contents
Ways to fix your meniscus return
Physio sessions
If you want to heal your meniscus tear naturally, then recovery takes around 6 months. This is quite a long time but is still short compared to more serious knee injuries. Here, you should ideally not train BJJ during this point – or if you do, drill and roll very lightly.
Typically, meniscus physio is aimed at strengthening your knee ligaments which basically re-builds your knee. These exercises usually involve lunges, bridges, and other, similar movements. To begin with, you’ll do these with little pressure, whilst slowly upping the pressure over the months as your knees heal. Imagine trying to get bigger biceps.
From starting fresh, you may not see physical progress until around 6 months of training and you shouldn’t expect instant results. The same goes for meniscus rehab. Naturally, it takes time and patience. Understandably, you may want to train BJJ during this time but it could undo a lot of your progress.
Meniscus surgery
Arguably, meniscus surgery is one of the least invasive knee surgeries going and usually takes around six weeks to recover. Here, surgeons will scope out the tear and then put the meniscus back together again. If they can completely fix the meniscus then this is arguably a better option as you won’t lose any range of motion at all. However, many times this can’t be done and this method takes around 6 months to heal.
The good thing about meniscus surgery is that it usually takes around one hour to perform. After this, most people can just about walk after a week. As always with surgery, don’t rush to get back to normal after, follow your doctor’s advise and be patient. The last thing you want to do is go back after two weeks and get caught in a heel hook!
Problems with a torn meniscus and training BJJ
Generally, BJJ practitioners can be quite stubborn and may choose to train regardless of a torn meniscus. Whilst you may get away with it and it may even heal whilst training, the chances are that you’ll have to let it heal at some point (otherwise you’re relying on luck). Remember, the meniscus is almost like the glue that holds the knee together, so it’s important to treat it with respect.
If you overdo it and keep training, then you could lose your entire meniscus which can lead to arthritis and constant knee pain. Obviously, this isn’t worth it and you’d have to quit BJJ anyway at that point. So, training with common sense is key.
How to train BJJ with a torn meniscus
If you insist on training BJJ with a torn meniscus or if you’ve just returned to training after a meniscus injury, then here’s what you should do. Firstly, you should drill more than you spar. This is because you’re much less likely to get injured, whilst you can still learn from drilling.
Secondly, you should train things that don’t put stress on your knee. For instance, don’t try practicing explosive movements or stress positions such as using your bad knee as a de la riva hook. Instead, work on what you can do, such as guillotines or wrist locks, which put no stress on your legs. Ultimately, this is common sense.
Another sensible option is to train with a good quality knee pad that will protect your knee from making potentially dangerous movements. These aren’t too expensive and can make a big difference in terms of restricting bad movements. Often, practitioners will comment on how knee injuries can really help you in terms of training without hurting your knee ligaments.
Lastly, when it comes to sparring – be careful. Try not to train with crazy people, and also try to avoid bigger, heavier opponents. Generally, take it slow and tap early to leg submissions, to begin with. You could also try positions such as half-guard which are known to be safer on your legs. Similarly, you may want to pass on your knees, opting for slow pressure, as opposite to athletic movements such as cartwheel passing or flying knee slices. Ultimately, try to use common sense and remember that your long-term health is more important than a 5-minute roll.
Conclusion
Although tearing your meniscus in BJJ is somewhat common, it’s also something that can be solved. In the big scheme of things, as long as you let it heal and don’t rush into training, then you should be ok. Most BJJ practitioners who suffer from torn meniscus tears make a full recovery, provided they train correctly.
At the same time, ligament injuries are still something to take seriously. And, whilst most BJJ practitioners heal, you will always hear from the odd person how their knee didn’t fully heal and still swells up from time to time. In conclusion, it always pays to train smart and listen to your body. As well, if you tore your meniscus by doing an unorthodox movement or by going too hard, then it can also act as a warning sign to change the way you train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
