body problems and the martial arts

[drummingman]

i have very bad tendinitis in both of my wrists.this has made me go back and forth on which style of martial art to study as i am a musician and can't risk messing up my wrists.after searching and talking with people i have settled on karate over other styles like jujitsu because of how joint lock intensive jujitsu and similar styles are.
have there been any physical issues in your lives that moved you to choose the art that you take over other arts?

 

[SFC JeffJ]

I had to stop doing Muay Thai because of an old hip and pelvic injury. I can still to the kicking techniques, just not like I could a few years ago, and being in an actual class and training would just put way too much stress on the injured area.

One thing to remember is that in a traditional Karate class, you'll still do all those joint locks and wrist bends, but probably not till much later.

Jeff

 

[Shotochem]

I would recommend no matter what art you study to wear wrist supports. I have also knon a drummer or 2 that wore wrist supports while drumming. Not those rigid ones but the elastic type that allow greater flexibility.

Also, see a good orthopedic MD and get a good thourough evaluation. I had bad tendinitous in my elbow and it took a couple of cortizone shots, a few months of antiinflamitories and a couple of months of not really using my right arm too much to really improve. it's a nagging injury and it will occassionally flare up again.

-Marc-

 

[Xue Sheng]

After doing Jujitsu and TKD I switched to Tai Chi due to a back injury, unrelated to MA.

 

[karatekid1975]

drummingman, did you get the tendinitis from drumming? If so, me too. I have tendinitis in my left, and CTS in the right from drumming.

As far as switching arts because of injuries ... I never have. I have a bum hip and knee (old work injuries, not related to MA). I just modified my training. The bum hip and knee are on my left, so I don't kick as high or push that side too much (if it's starting to ache or acts up on that side, I stop. I just use my right). And as far as joint locks go, in jujitsu I would do them, but tap out when I knew the lock was just at the point of a "stretch" of the tendon. That way, I could still learn them, but not hurt my wrists any worse.

 

[L Canyon]

I am a musician too so I know what you are talking about. My hands are a premium to me, and I would not study an art that would mess them up permanently.

I take Glocousimine (spelling?) that is apparently to help joints in terms of numbness, aches, swelling, etc. I used to see it advertised in a grappling magazine - as those guys must endure awful joint pain.

I have also had back problems for years (sure could have used a roadie 20 years ago when I played clubs).

 

[The Kidd]

I have had injuries and there are certain things that I know I cannot do, or my body can't do anymore but I still train.

 

[drummingman]

drummingman, did you get the tendinitis from drumming? If so, me too. I have tendinitis in my left, and CTS in the right from drumming.

As far as switching arts because of injuries ... I never have. I have a bum hip and knee (old work injuries, not related to MA). I just modified my training. The bum hip and knee are on my left, so I don't kick as high or push that side too much (if it's starting to ache or acts up on that side, I stop. I just use my right). And as far as joint locks go, in jujitsu I would do them, but tap out when I knew the lock was just at the point of a "stretch" of the tendon. That way, I could still learn them, but not hurt my wrists any worse.

i got the left wrist tendinitis while drumming.im guessing its because i was not stretching out before i started playing each time.i got the right wrist tendinitis by playing a lot of video games.crazy thing is that in both wrists the tendinitis is in the same place,where the hand meets the wrist on the thumb side.
i really want to take karate but there are times where i get a bit afraid to do so because drumming is what i do for a living.i get afraid that i might injure myslef and then have to take time off of drumming.but at the same time i really want to study martial arts for a lot of different reasons.
do any of you have aby advice when it comes to what you think about my fear of injury when it comes to taking karate or any other martial art?

 

[Brad Dunne]

Welcome to the drummers forum.........:lol: I may be somewhat, no not mabey, I'm just plain different from most folks. I played for many years and practiced MA's. I did however do wrist strengthing excersises and never did have any problems or injuries. Perhaps I was just lucky or mabey the strengthing actually was a safeguard. I didn't loose any playing abilities, but then I was no Gene Krupa/Buddy Rich. Anything that you care to do within the MA's has the potential to cause injury. Some like hapkido/jujitsu focus more on the wrists, so they will invite injuries to a greater extent. You want to protect your wrists as much as possible, then I would recommend TKD. Depending upon the school/instructor, there may or may not be a lot of hand techniques, so wrists injuries should be at a minimum.

 

[drummingman]

what about wing chun kung fu? do you think that would be good for someone with tendinitis in their wrists?

 

[drummingman]

Welcome to the drummers forum.........:lol: I may be somewhat, no not mabey, I'm just plain different from most folks. I played for many years and practiced MA's. I did however do wrist strengthing excersises and never did have any problems or injuries. Perhaps I was just lucky or mabey the strengthing actually was a safeguard. I didn't loose any playing abilities, but then I was no Gene Krupa/Buddy Rich. Anything that you care to do within the MA's has the potential to cause injury. Some like hapkido/jujitsu focus more on the wrists, so they will invite injuries to a greater extent. You want to protect your wrists as much as possible, then I would recommend TKD. Depending upon the school/instructor, there may or may not be a lot of hand techniques, so wrists injuries should be at a minimum.

 

[karatekid1975]

ANIMAL!!!! I love that guy hehehehehe (he somewhat got me into drumming. He is the coolest ).

Anyways, you can also speak to the instructor of the art you pick, and explain to him what is going on. He/she may help you in that area.

 

[searcher]

what about wing chun kung fu? do you think that would be good for someone with tendinitis in their wrists?

My only concern for you with Wing Chun, from the previously mentioned info., is that with the wooden dummy training you may have some pain in your hands for a while while you get used to it. The same could be said for makiwara training in karate. The difference is that most karate schools have stopped doing ANY body conditioning. No matter what you choose you should look into wrist wraps for times when training as well as some Chinese medicine. You would probably fall over at what the Chinese have medicine for.

Are you being treated for the tendinitis? There are things that you can do to help ease the pain and maybe even get rid of it completely.

 

[charyuop]

In 1990 I had a car wreck (was not the driver) and the car ended up into a small cliff. I broke my ankle and had to have surgery. I still have now 2 long nails in my ankle tide with a wire. I have not the same flexibility of the other ankle and if I try to bend it over a certain point it hurts alot. I do Tai Chi and Aikido with this bad ankle.
I do not let this to interfere with MA, but I try to bend the more possible the MA to fit my body limits. For example in Tai Chi I always wear tennis shoes because that little heel of the shoe helps me to have a small thickness under my heel to bend more my knees (I call it cheating). In Aikido when I have to follow a throw or go down for a pin I might end up putting down my knee to the mat so I can keep my back streight.

 

[drummingman]

My only concern for you with Wing Chun, from the previously mentioned info., is that with the wooden dummy training you may have some pain in your hands for a while while you get used to it. The same could be said for makiwara training in karate. The difference is that most karate schools have stopped doing ANY body conditioning. No matter what you choose you should look into wrist wraps for times when training as well as some Chinese medicine. You would probably fall over at what the Chinese have medicine for.

Are you being treated for the tendinitis? There are things that you can do to help ease the pain and maybe even get rid of it completely.

i have been treated for it in the past.im not being treated right now.i had surgery on my left wirst twice in 1999.

 

[drummingman]

what do you all think about me taking aikido when it comes to my wrist issues?

 

[L Canyon]

what do you all think about me taking aikido when it comes to my wrist issues?

Of course it's going to depend on the school and how hard they do wrist locks. I did Aikido for 3 years and I had sore wrists much of the time. Perhaps look for a place that does joint locks as a piece of the pie, just so you're not wasting your wrists all of the time.