New to MA and have a question about knees

[lonewof0323]

Hi everyone I have a question about knee issues and TKD. I've never done an MA before and I've narrowed it down to TKD and BJJ. I'm 42 and have an issue with a knee that dislocates kind of easy. It pops out and right back in I was wanting to know if TKD would be alright with something like this and if anyone on here deals with something like this and what they do if they do TKD to try and minimize this. I really like the place but just worried about the knee thing. Thanks to anyone that answers me.

thanks again
Daniel

 

[Hanzou]

Hi everyone I have a question about knee issues and TKD. I've never done an MA before and I've narrowed it down to TKD and BJJ. I'm 42 and have an issue with a knee that dislocates kind of easy. It pops out and right back in I was wanting to know if TKD would be alright with something like this and if anyone on here deals with something like this and what they do if they do TKD to try and minimize this. I really like the place but just worried about the knee thing. Thanks to anyone that answers me.

thanks again
Daniel

BJJ would be easier on your knees than TKD.

Plenty of guys at my gym have bad knees from wrestling or football, and they do just fine. They just have to wear braces.

I would imagine the high level of kicking required in TKD would be bad on your knees.

 

[The DC]

I agree with Hanzou--TKD places lots of emphasis on kicks,and in advanced levels,in...well...more advanced kicks. I have occasional minor issues with my right knee (just soreness,swelling,etc,no damage to it other than 42 years of use and abuse-I'm 42 also ),even though it's minor,it feels major when it flares up during a kicking-drill session. Just my thoughts,I'm not in the medical field or any kind of expert,LOL,but I DO have knees and train in TKD.

If you have a great interest in TKD,though,don't let my thoughts deter you,talk to your doctor and explain your interests,as well as to any potential instructors about your limitations. I have personally known more than a couple of people who train very well with serious leg/knee/hip issues,including a much beloved and missed late Sensei,who several years before passing away had lost a leg due to his diabetes and was STILL an awe inspiring Martial Artist with only the 1 leg )note,he did have a prosthetic leg).

Just always remember,health 1st/training 2nd. Regardless of which Art you choose,you are about to embark on an awesome journey,my friend

 

[Dirty Dog]

You'll likely need some sort of knee brace (talk to your orthopedist to get the right one...) but contrary to what the people above are saying, there's no reason not to train TKD. My knees are... not always my friends. One of our students has had a total knee. One of the regulars here has had at least one of his hips replaced. Bill Wallace had only one functional knee throughout his professional fighting career and has had both hips replaced since.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Test out a few different places and see if their curriculum and instructor work well for you. If you want lower impact on your knees think about Filipino Martial Arts as well.

 

[TrueJim]

If you know that you really WANT to do taekwondo, a good taekwondo instructor will usually accomodate whatever injuries a person has. Often though you will have to remind the instructor, "Remember my knee...I can't do that, on this leg..." but once you remind them, a good instructor is often very understanding. They often have injuries of their own that they're dealing with.

That having been said...agree with all of the above...taekwondo is hard on the knees. You'll need to brace the knee and prepare to deal with occasional swelling and such (so get used to ice-bags and heating-pads).

If it's mostly just a dislocation thing...you might be able to get away with just a tight neoprene brace, to secure the knee in place? I have some extra-long Under Armor compression shorts that I use too...they come down to just above the knee, and for some reason that too seems to help my knee. (I don't know why...it's not like they cover the knee...but it seems to help.)

 

[lonewof0323]

Thanks for the reply's everyone I really appritiate the feed back. My cousin pretty much told me like a few on here that he didn't think my knee would hold up when it comes to the fancier kicks. I didn't know he's been doing TKD for 3 yrs now. We live in different states I knew he did Judo. To Mr Vancise thank you for the other options but where I live its just TKD, Tang soo Do, BJJ, Kenjukebo, and some kind of Kung Fu.

I'll just go down to the BJJ place and sign up either way I'm just excitied to start learning and MA it;s something I've always wanted to do just could cause I used to travel so much with my job. Once again thank you to to everyone that took the time to answer me I really do appritiate it

 

[The DC]

I hope you have a long and enjoyable journey,my friend

 

[lonewof0323]

Thank You The DC I'm looking forward to it, also thank you for the advice you gave me take care my friend

 

[Oldbear343]

Welcome. All the above are valid points. Goju karate and Wing Chun kungfu both use mainly Low - level kicks, so might be worth exploring, but deeds on availability in your area, of course. Any good Instructor will make allowances if you tell them what the issues are. And yes many if not most martial artists carry injuries, just like most athletes....Most importantly, follow your dream, even if you end up training alone at home....

 

[lonewof0323]

Welcome. All the above are valid points. Goju karate and Wing Chun kungfu both use mainly Low - level kicks, so might be worth exploring, but deeds on availability in your area, of course. Any good Instructor will make allowances if you tell them what the issues are. And yes many if not most martial artists carry injuries, just like most athletes....Most importantly, follow your dream, even if you end up training alone at home....

Thank you for the advice Oldbear343 I wish I had better choices in my area. Actually I do i'm not far from the Houston area it's just the job thing like today I got out at 6 getting to houston is a good 45 min drive where as the BJJ place is only 15 min from me and the instructor understrands because of us living in an industrial area that he is fine with us coming in a little late because of work as are the other MA places down here. I had really wanted to take Aikido but unfourtently for me the school closed down so that's why I narrowed it down to the TKD and BJJ school I didn't like the other places.

I came onto this forum and other forums to see what to look for in the TKD place and it fit what everyone was saying to look for as did the BJJ school. But I still have to be careful with my health cause I do work construction so following the advice of the ones that were kind enough to post on my topic and my cousin's advice I felt doing BJJ would be better for me in the long run. Cool thing is that they also teach boxing there to so I think I'm going to have a lot of fun at this school.

Once again thank you very much for your advice and for taking the time to respond to my topic i really do appretiate it