Returning to Jiu Jitsu after an injury: Phase 3 – Advanced 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:
1️⃣Time: Is the injury adequately healed? The physiology of tissue healing based on the area that is injured.
2️⃣Movement-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 3 – Advanced rehab for leg injuries (hip, knee, ankle): Here are the next phase of movement prerequisites and advanced drills that someone with an injury should be able to perform. These positions and movements focus more on single leg power and require a bit more speed then the earlier phase drills.
•Explosive kneeling jumps: movement prerequisite •Technical get up: advanced drill
•knee walk / penetration prep: movement prerequisite / advanced drill
•Hand assisted penetration step
•Full penetration step
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Generally I would recommend someone demonstrate these movements before clearing them to return to flow rolling and positional rolling. These are also solo drills one could continue to practice while they are still not cleared for rolling.
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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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Part 4 will include traditional return to sport orthopedic testing. I expect an athlete to accomplish each stage and demonstrate leg symmetry prior to clearing them for full rolling.