sorry that was suppose to how do you trust you new acl

[jules406]

I know in my last thread i said about my two ops on my knee and wanting to get back to sports.

How do you learn to trust your knee? I wanna try things out but i am scared incase i hurt my knee again.

I am a martial artist and am looking to grade in november but don't know if my knee will be right by then?

[kjwilkin]

Hi there,

I know exactly how you feel. I haven't had ACL reconstructive surgery, but have had a lot of knee surgery for patella instability on both knees which has also involved reconstructive surgery. It has taken me a long time to trust my knees again, particularly my left knee as I've had the most surgery on it. I am in the process of getting a new knee brace.

The key is to do exercise in safe environments and gradually build up. Then once you are ready perhaps just start with a bit of your martial arts but don't do a full session. Then gradually build up until you're doing a full session. The most important thing is to set realistic goals. For example, for me one of my aims was to return to my sports trainer role which I've now achieved.

I hope this helps.

[aboy3]

jules if you are looking at getting back into kempo, i would wait till at least 9 months post op because of the amount of stress it puts on your knees, especially the pivoting involed in kicking. i know thats not what you want to hear, but i think it would be for the best. Your surgeon will tell you when you are ready anyway.

[jules406]

I don't see the docs anymore they said the ligament is fine now so they see no reason to see me anymore.

[Rob N]

Jules:
Just because the doc's don't need to see you, doesn't mean you are instantly 100%. Kjwilkin is giving you good advice about a gradual approach to returning to your sport. No point diving right back in and blowing everything out. You have to make sure that all the stabilizers in your knee and the main muscle groups are very strong once again. Better to get there carefully and progressively, than to go to soon and never get back to form.
Rob N

[jules406]

I have tried little bits and pieces with karate but i am not sure whether its a trust issue or what somethings i don't seem to wanna try. Its almost i am scared incase i twist it or something. I have been doing most the sets and some of the forms there are a couple of forms which i don't have the strength in my leg for. Not even attpemted sparring done some techs but i am worried about the twist in some of them?

[jules406]

So how did you build up the courage to get back into the sports you do and not worry about your knee?
I have started to do little bits and pieces with soccer like the jogs and just passing but not sure if any of the stop start running is ok to do and the turning and pushing off runs?

[Nidan]

hey Jules,

I do shotokan karate... had an ACL reconstruction in Oct 2004 so I could make the Australian team.
Pretty much u can train.... I was out for a few weeks. Find a reason to train, not to not train. Train the other parts of ur body. No contact.

Major issues is stop and start running. Do some bike work. Bag work for ur arms and basic kihon. I had to do heaps of leg pressess and hamstring curls with resistance. Then hoping over witches hats, running up and down doing shuttle runs, and then lastly criss cross. They also got me to do the jumps in the kata at the Physio... and they were like it'll be fine. and It was. U need to practice in a controlled environment. And tell ur training partner u have a gammy knee.

The head of Shotokan Karate Internation Federation... Kancho Kanazawa won the world championships in 1957 in Tokyo with a broken arm... his mother said to him... well u still have 2 legs and an arm.

Dont do anything silly but do kata and basics.... stuff u can control. Also fight with ur best leg forward and try to find a physio who does martial arts. Vicky Weekes in Coogee is great. She is a Godan in Shotokan Karate. Sometimes physios dont understand what we do.

I was fine after around 4 months. Back to normal.

Hope that helps.... And lastly gradings matter but its how good u are... belts mean nothing... don't get me wrong.. I have my 2nd Dan and its cool... but its not the most important thing or why u train.

Good Luck with ur training... I'm sure u will be fine! Be a warrior!