If you have pain or limitation and live in Greenville-Spartanburg SC, then call the rehab experts at Purposed Physical Therapy at (864) 881-1712 or you can fill out our New Patient Form by clicking HERE and we will call you!
Are you a Martial Arts athlete in Greenville SC? Mixed Martial Arts is a combination of many combat disciplines: Boxing, Taekwondo, Wrestling, Jiu Jitsu, Judo, Karate, Muay Thai, Krav Maga, etc. These athletes rely on their physical performance, mental stamina, and sometimes luck in the moment to excel in their sport. However, the demands of martial arts means injuries can occur more frequently than other sports. Our therapists know first-hand these sports! A few of them have participated in martial arts, and on higher-levels: Karate, boxing, wrestling, and jiu jitsu. Thus, having a martial arts athlete see a physical therapist specialized in working with these sports allows for better injury prevention and better treatment of these injuries. Ultimately, this helps the athlete return to their sport faster, and many times return even in better health than before their injury. This can extend the longevity of these athletes' careers and allow for longer “peak” career times.
From our experience, martial arts athletes can get injuries pretty much everywhere. We see martial arts athletes for muscle strains (in every region of the body), finger/toe pain (commonly jammed joints), rib injuries, thoracic and cervical restrictions, lower back pain, knee pain (commonly meniscal tear or inner quadriceps weakness/instability), shoulder pain (commonly labral tear or rotator cuff tears or shoulder impingement), hip/groin pain (commonly labral tear), ankle sprains, elbow hyperextension, post-concussion headaches, chronic whiplash, and the list could go on.
It is obvious that many of these can injuries occur during sparring and during competition. You get put into a Kimura (a shoulder lock) = you get overstretching of soft tissues at that joint = ouch and injury! Surprisingly though, we have found that many chronic injuries actually occur from technique ergonomics. Of course your back is not naturally meant to be in the constant forward-leaning position; but how else do you guard your legs against a double-leg takedown! And of course your arms are not naturally meant to be constantly held up to your shoulders; but how else are you going to guard your face from a haymaker! The key is not to change fight technique ergonomics (clearly), but to counteract the negative effects of those ergonomics. Correct technique is obviously very important! Since our therapist know these sports very well, they can examine your technique and look for flaws. If you are twisting more on your knee to throw a kick, rather than twisting through your hips & spine (due to poor hip & spine mobility); then that’s a great way to tear your meniscus in that planted knee.
Now, we cannot write a blog big enough to address all the reasons martial arts athletes get injuries, or even how to treat or prevent each of these injuries. It would be better, faster, and easier for you to schedule an appointment with us so we can examine YOUR injury, YOUR movement dysfunction, and YOUR complaints.