Overcoming Anxiety about BJJ Training after a Knee Injury

Getting back to BJJ after an injury always sucks and there is often a period of nervousness associated with it. No one wants to get injured. So when you get back you're trying to avoid that from happening again.

Recently I received a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu related question concerning returning after a knee injury.

He said that he had an MCL injury but it did not require surgery, just physical therapy. As his injury is healing up he is becoming nervous about getting back into BJJ. The anxiety of sustaining another injury is there.

So the question boils down to, how does he get back into the right mindset for BJJ training after an injury?

In this video I discuss my most recent knee injury and how I experienced the same sorts of uneasy feelings. Then I talk about how I eased back into my Brazilian Jiujitsu training using a slow and gradual process broken up over several weeks.

If you're someone that has recently had a knee injury from BJJ training and you're experiencing the same anxious, nervous feelings that Eric and I have. Then I hope this video is helpful to you.

Thanks!
-Chewy

[ed]

Thank you for taking the time and answering my question! you have provided me with some awesome advice!

[aqdjbcr]

You time these perfectly for me sometimes. I just rolled for the first time since a knee injury a week ago and have a tournament next week.

[_AndyI]

You hit so many of these tough questions I have right on the head, thank you brother! Just got back cleared after an ACL Tear last month. Love the vids keep them comingg

[LewingtonsWorld]

chewy, unreal seeing this clip. Done my knee (MCL) 6 weeks ago, still cooked. Heading to physio tomorrow but great to see this post. Made me feel alot better!

[vladdjedovic]

After a year-long layoff due to a meniscus tear/mcl injury this is an amazing video to have come across.

[xpat]

I got a Grade 1 to 2 MCL tear in my right knee. I have been out 2 months. I could probably go back now, but I am waiting until Feb 1, 2020 to be cautious. But no surgery. The key thing is is: DO NOT GO BACK TOO EARLY. I cannot stress this enough. You think you might be ok to go back? Wait another month. Also, do your rehab religiously. But don't do too much too soon. The worst thing you could do is go back and reinjure your knee. Another thing: when I inured my MCL I felt something go POP in my knee....but it wasn't;t painful. Because I was hot and sweaty - I didn't;t feel too bad. I stopped for a moment. I could walk on it - I almost said, "ok, I can continue rolling." But I am glad I was more cautious and did not. Because one I had cooled down and woke up the next morning, I had limited movement and some pain. If you feel something pop, stop.

[anderandersson]

Thank you for being in my life man.. Thank you!

[dominickfera]

almost at the end of these broken ribs...I'm glad you covered this!!

[VitoMurillo]

Thank you for this video bud. Much appreciated. I damaged my knee and took a solid week off from training, thinking that was adequate amount of time, before returning back on the mats. I felt minor discomfort in my knee on my first day back so I took a additional time off but decided to continue to stretch and some how the stretching really did a number on my knee and now I have to take another week off from training.

[ewandonachie]

Tore my meniscus at bjj then took time off and went back to work and tore it again. Trying to get confidence to go back but it’s hard. Tore meniscus on my other knee years ago. Definitely tough on the mind

[allbushnocraft]

been out for months with knee mcl as a white belt been going through the same thing thank mate

[dimmakchampion]

i messed up my shoulder and was away from jiu jitsu for a long time. just got back into it again a few days ago and jacked my ribs going inverted. not to bad, but i used to have a ton of confidence rolling with speed and now am very slow and careful.

[nicholasrogers]

Wow, what a coincidence. I just got back home from a great training session and I open my phone up and there's Chewy's beautiful mug speaking on knee injuries! Today was my first day back after nursing a minor meniscus tear for over a month. I had to force myself to show up tonight but it was so worth it and my knee held up fine! Ossss Chewy!

[mritorto]

its so hard to find partners that roll lightly thats the problem

[josephorsak]

Dude!! Oh my gosh!! I hurt my knee real good two weeks ago. and I have been worried about the exact same thing!! Thank you for this video!!

[DeanHynd]

Any advice on length of time off and how to ease back in after a toe break?

[dgoosen]

Started 7 months ago and now I've been out for a month thanks to a torn ACL. God, I miss rolling

[quasar]

I always get a tad anxiety before I roll because of the possibility of injuries . Is this normal, I know I am not a true warrior but i am not a quitter

[futbol]

How can I do endurance workouts and how often to stay in shape if iam out for 3 to 4 weeks do to knee injury? I will defently be lifting but I also love doing endurance workouts to stay in shape for junitsu

[seanbaker]

I had both of the ulnar collateral ligaments sprained from americanas. 17 weeks later to the day, I had the left one pop again and have been out longer. Really hoping I can heal up stronger so this doesn't keep happening. (I'm a student PTA and I get to do ultrasound to heal the ligament) hopefully it helps