Returning to Jiu Jitsu after an injury: Phase 1 – Early Rehab for leg injuries ••

Returning to Jiu Jitsu after an injury: Phase 1 – Early Rehab for leg injuries
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Returning to jiu jitsu after an injury is a very difficult decision and often an athlete will return too early. Generally a jiu jitsu practitioner will have less pain and figure they are “good enough” and jump back into full training. If an athlete returns too early there is a risk of re-injury or a secondary injury as the athlete alters their movement patterns to protect the initial injury.
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Criteria to consider when returning to jiu jitsu after an injury:
1. Time: Is the injury adequately healed? The physiology of tissue healing based on the area that is injured.
2. Movement-based: Does the athlete have sufficient unilateral mobility, strength, stability and / or power to perform each movement required for jiu jitsu?
Both criteria need to be considered prior to returning. .
Phase 1 – Early rehab for leg injuries (hip, knee, ankle): Here are early movement prerequisites and beginner drills that someone with an injury should be able to perform before moving to the intermediate phase.
•Squat: movement prerequisite •Tall kneel to full kneel: movement prerequisite •Tall bridge in place: drill
•Upa / bridge with rotation: drill
•Shrimp / elbow knee escape: drill
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If you are not clear to return to Jiu jitsu these are drills you can practice while injured so that your return to rolling will be smooth. If you cannot perform these drills or movements it will give a healthcare professional an idea on what you need to be able to do so they can choose the correct interventions to get you back to training.
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This post series is meant to be educational for the healthcare professional (PT, chiro, ATC etc…) helping their athlete return to sport and not meant as medical advice for the injured athlete.
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This series will include beginner, intermediate and advanced drills for legs, arms and the spine as well as my go-to exercises.
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I fully expect someone to be able to perform early, intermediate and advanced phases before I clear them to return to full training.