overcoming the mental aspect of a healing injury

I sprained my mcl (grade 2) almost 9 weeks ago. Its doing really well, I think. Def have some range of motion to get back but not much and its improving.

My problem is that after two months of protecting the knee, now when i roll Im not using the knee even though it good enough to use. Im not basing with it, shrimping nothing. I could roll better at this point if I cut the leg off below the knee.:)

My training partners and couch are saying take it easy and wait longer, and maybe I shouldn't be rolling yet. I think this is largely because when the knee got popped it was really loud and multiple pops so they are amazed i'm back at all and walking fine. If they could feel my knee though they'd know that it has truly healing very well and I should be able to use it rolling. I can do single leg body weight squats, serpentine running and all the stuff that is supposed to be the last stage of rehab with it and it only hurts if I hit the mcl on something (like some elses knee)

I know in baseball when guys get shy from being hit by balls, they throw nerf balls and stuff at them to build them back up mentally.

I was hoping that if you guys tell me to rub some tussin on it and Zog says stop being a bitch, I will be cured.

Thanks.

The best thing I can tell you to do is wear a hinged knee brace. It's gonna take some time to come back and a lot of pain. I just came back from the same injury and I still struggle with the pain every now and again. The only reason I'm pushing through it, is that the doctor told me it wasn't going to get any worse. Maybe you just need some reassurance or a little confidence to get back on the horse. Just keep being and only push til you feel pain in your knee. Obviously pain is relative but don't be crazy and just get out there and fuck yourself up again. Just keep it real and keep rehabbing smart and continue to ice and give it the support you need.

Also buy a pair of knee pads. Not knee sleeves. The extra padding will ease your mind when you're putting pressure into the mats. I use the Brute Torque model.

thanks john!

I can do everything except bring my heel more than about 4 inches from touching my ass and then the joint feels all crowded inside and my mcl itself aches. If it gets jammed all the way to my ass it hurts for a few days and swells a little. (did it twice) thats why im afraid rolling, i think.

Getting one of those elastic band today to do the rehab exercises i found online. Hopefully I'll regain the rest of the range of motion because it feels strong otherwise.

After all the pops when I was doing ice therapy in the octagon, i asked my coach if he thought i could still go to naga, he started at me for about 10 seconds and left the room. :)

Knee injuries suck! Never had problems then last month hurt the left competing at NAGA Worlds and two weeks later pop the right knee doing a triangle. Not much pain but afraid of making things worse.

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Originally Posted by Aaron Gustaveson

thanks john!

I can do everything except bring my heel more than about 4 inches from touching my ass and then the joint feels all crowded inside and my mcl itself aches. If it gets jammed all the way to my ass it hurts for a few days and swells a little. (did it twice) thats why im afraid rolling, i think.

Getting one of those elastic band today to do the rehab exercises i found online. Hopefully I'll regain the rest of the range of motion because it feels strong otherwise.

After all the pops when I was doing ice therapy in the octagon, i asked my coach if he thought i could still go to naga, he started at me for about 10 seconds and left the room. :)

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Did his face look like this?
http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/...xzibit-wtf.jpg


Brotha,I don't make fun of peoples injuries (I have enough of my own). The best thing to do is ease your way back into training, be selective who you train with, and keep that inflammation down. If you are having issues getting your heels to your butt its likely the swelling and some possible scar tissue. A good chiro can assist with that. Again....ease your way back in.

Just listen to your body and ease back into rolling or maybe just stick with technique until you can work through it pain free. The worst feeling is getting reinjured. You basically reset the clock on everything you've accomplished.

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Originally Posted by Chris Herzog

Did his face look like this?
Brotha,I don't make fun of peoples injuries (I have enough of my own). The best thing to do is ease your way back into training, be selective who you train with, and keep that inflammation down. If you are having issues getting your heels to your butt its likely the swelling and some possible scar tissue. A good chiro can assist with that. Again....ease your way back in.

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Yep that was the face,lol Thanks couch! I highly value your advice.

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Originally Posted by Blake Coston

Just listen to your body and ease back into rolling or maybe just stick with technique until you can work through it pain free. The worst feeling is getting reinjured. You basically reset the clock on everything you've accomplished.

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I know youre right, its just that my semester starts soon and several competitions are in september and my main training partner has a fight in september and now there's talk of a west coast training camp. Whew, all i wanna do is kick ass, thats not asking too much is it? Please god let me kick ass again. ;)

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Originally Posted by Aaron Gustaveson

Yep that was the face,lol Thanks couch! I highly value your advice.



I know youre right, its just that my semester starts soon and several competitions are in september and my main training partner has a fight in september and now there's talk of a west coast training camp. Whew, all i wanna do is kick ass, thats not asking too much is it? Please god let me kick ass again. ;)

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you just called zog a couch, :D

but seriously i feel your pain man, ive got a bung knee, that im getting fixed now. all i want to do is get back into now and ive got to go slowly. im getting a knee brace myself, i tried it out and it feels great having one

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Originally Posted by Aaron Gustaveson

Yep that was the face,lol Thanks couch! I highly value your advice.



I know youre right, its just that my semester starts soon and several competitions are in september and my main training partner has a fight in september and now there's talk of a west coast training camp. Whew, all i wanna do is kick ass, thats not asking too much is it? Please god let me kick ass again. ;)

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Ok man here's what I can offer, I would not recommend doing any tourneys for a couple of months. If you go into a tourney with injury hesitation you may really fuck yourself up. Knees are tricky things I tore both of mine this year and have had surgery on both. You will kick ass again but if you try too quickly you'll be kickin you own ass lol:cool:

Good thing you are on the other side of the country after calling Herzog a couch! He might reap that knee!

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Originally Posted by Isaac Atley

you just called zog a couch, :D

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gotta love communicating via typing.

Best advice I can give is STOP ROLLING and START TRAINING.

Find some guys you trust to work positions with you. When the position changes, the drill is over.

Obviously, if you can't pull your heel to your butt you can't pass the guard on your knees. And you can't recover guard by driving that knee to the inside, which limits working some traditional side control escapes and guard recovery. Most of your clinching style guards are gonna be limited as well.

Perhaps drill a position like deep half that requires very little knee flexion.

All I have for you is this. Aleve is awesome for swelling & inflammation. Take it every 8 hours. Maybe then you can get your heel to your butt and that would make the training easier. I took it for two weeks after having my arm overextended. Within two weeks it was good. My last bad over extension took 6 weeks to be good. Also, I had a kankle not too many days ago from staff and within 36 hours I had an ankle again. ALEVE. Sorry all I have is mom advice. :-/

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Originally Posted by Tori Applegate

All I have for you is this. Aleve is awesome for swelling & inflammation. Take it every 8 hours. Maybe then you can get your heel to your butt and that would make the training easier. I took it for two weeks after having my arm overextended. Within two weeks it was good. My last bad over extension took 6 weeks to be good. Also, I had a kankle not too many days ago from staff and within 36 hours I had an ankle again. ALEVE. Sorry all I have is mom advice. :-/

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Thanks, I've tried aleve but I strongly prefer advil liquid gels.

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Originally Posted by Brandon Mccaghren

Best advice I can give is STOP ROLLING and START TRAINING.

Find some guys you trust to work positions with you. When the position changes, the drill is over.

Obviously, if you can't pull your heel to your butt you can't pass the guard on your knees. And you can't recover guard by driving that knee to the inside, which limits working some traditional side control escapes and guard recovery. Most of your clinching style guards are gonna be limited as well.

Perhaps drill a position like deep half that requires very little knee flexion.

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I knew this but just didn't want to accept it.

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Originally Posted by Aaron Gustaveson

Thanks, I've tried aleve but I strongly prefer advil liquid gels.

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I might have to try those.

yuck....poison!

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Originally Posted by Chris Herzog

yuck....poison!

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any recommendations on healthy (and legal) anti-inflammatories?

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Originally Posted by Tori Applegate

All I have for you is this. Aleve is awesome for swelling & inflammation. Take it every 8 hours. Maybe then you can get your heel to your butt and that would make the training easier. I took it for two weeks after having my arm overextended. Within two weeks it was good. My last bad over extension took 6 weeks to be good. Also, I had a kankle not too many days ago from staff and within 36 hours I had an ankle again. ALEVE. Sorry all I have is mom advice. :-/

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Tori: Definitely the team mom. Taking my aleve now. My poor knee.

what kind of exercises do people do to increase knee stability? i do squats and leg curls and extensions in order to strengthen to quads hammies and calves but is there any specific ones aimed at knees? wouuld be apreciated.

and Aaron, i have a feeling you came on here for someone to tell you to slow down and go carefully before you really hurt yourself. stop being silly and play it safe. good luck brother

I don't do drugs if at all possible. Rest is great but who does that till you have to. Ice for swelling. Taking fish oil and Turmeric for inflammation. I have arthritis from 6 years of grip fighting in the GI and just started having knee trubbs last month.But still training 5 days a week without drugs that will damage my liver.

its the easiest on the stomach and most effective anti inflammatory/painkiller I have used.

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Originally Posted by Brandon Mccaghren

any recommendations on healthy (and legal) anti-inflammatories?

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Turmeric and White Willow bark.

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Originally Posted by Isaac Atley

Aaron, i have a feeling you came on here for someone to tell you to slow down and go carefully before you really hurt yourself. stop being silly and play it safe. good luck brother

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Kinda hit me when i read this, you are right. I just had a lot of steam going when this injury happened and a lot of upcoming events that I didn't want to accept having to miss.
Thanks everyone for the love and dont pity me, i'm merely temporarily slightly less badass.

Reading this in hindsight I see that;
1. Zog was absolutely correct about turmeric/curcumin.
2. I had never had a significant injury before this mcl tear, and just did know what rehabbing orthopedic injuries feels like.