Kyokushinkai Karate (Full Contact)

[masterlee10]

Hello,

I am a 2nd Dan Kyokushinkai Karate teacher and just got my right Hip resurfaced(9-9-2009). I am now on one crutch and today for the first time I have been able to walk without crutch for a couple of meters, though with a limp, so not there yet.

I was wondering if anyone out here knows Kyokushinkai Karate and can tell me if (provided I am fully recovered! so 8 - 12 months from now) full contact sparring would damage the device. Also does anyone know as of when I will be able to stretch my legs to a maximum? Not that I want to try this out now, but just interested to learn if there are others with same type of background.

Lee

[Tekka]

Hi Lee,

Congratulations on you new hip, you can now look forward to being pain free and active.

I have been boxing for many years and mma, I am almost eight month's post op and back to training to 80%, the 20% is made up from not being slammed to the floor from stand up or with some of the guys I train with....no tai kick to the leg, I really do not fancy a full kick on the thigh. That said I was messing with my son in the kitchen and he swiped my leg and I hit the floor hard and I was fine, and that was a hard floor, not matts !!!

I have been stretching from 6-8 weeks, and if you are flexible then you should be able to get back to full flexibility within twelve months, but you need to check with you doctor mate.

I am not a big kicker but I have been able to axe kick to shoulder/head height for some time now, my personal bench march is I can move around the dojo really easily and I spent an hour on the matts today grappling at a good level with some good guys.

I hope have I have helped, good luck with your recovery, keep us posted.

Best wishes

Terry

[masterlee10]

Thanks for your reaction tekka.

I see some positive signs in your story, but I am aware that all stories are personal. But still I always take an average of everything I hear. I am looking forward to start using the punching bags since that is closest to my full contact style while being easy on the hips. Stretching is something that I am most worried about. But I am not there yet. Still trying to walk like a normal human being. Then again I am very impatient to see if the choice I made to do the surgery was a good one.

Lee

[Tekka]

Lee,

It is really hard to be patient, but if you can remain patient and do not over due things, then you will be fine...honest !!

I promise you, you will not regret this procedure, you are really early into your recovery and remember you have been through a major operation and you have some serious healing to do.

Best wishes

Terry

[splash]

Hi Everyone,

I'm getting my Hip resurfacing on the 17th December in Dublin, Ireland. I used do martial arts 17 years ago. I'm 37 now. I would love to start up again in a year or so. I have a few queries that I would love to get some advise on.

1. How confident do you feel going towards stretching to do the splits.
2. How likely is your hip to dislocate if you do a roundhouse kick.
3. How long would it take before you could start kicking a bag, or even pivoting on your new hip to do a kick.

I'd appreciate whatever experiences you have.

Kind regards

Stephen

[masterlee10]

Hello Stephen,

It is now 12 weeks post op for me and I am teaching Karate again. I cannot yet RUN barefooted easily but can make 300 squats, 100 kicks, mae geri and mawashi geri, so straight ahead and round kicks. Whether it can dislocate the hip I believe depends on whether you turn your knee inwards, uphigh with speed and power. It is for me unlikely I would ever make such a movement since you normally do not cross your centerline with a roudhouse kick without moving your body to that same side. So I do not think kicking is a problem.

Streching is also no problem but you need to take it slow. Also I do not put much pressure on the strech, I let my body guide me.

I also started to kick the back last week and if was a GREAT experience!

Lee

[splash]

Hi Lee,

I appreciate the feedback. I think it will be slightly a longer goal for me as I plan to get my second hip done in March/April. It's a lifelong goal of mine to obtain a black belt in martial arts and to go on and teach kids martial arts. Especially as my own kid has just started it. I will be checking back here over the next few months to give my experiences.

Thanks again for your feedback.

Stephen

[obxpelican]

Given all the information that's available out there, if it were me I would wait at least a year before anything like karate with any kind of contact.

I used to be into Chinese Kempo (2nd degree blackbelt) and I remember all the times someone would side kick me in the hip area, I don't know, take it slow make sure your doctor is truly cool with it first.

At one year it's rare to hear of dislocations, at 6 months it's rare to have a femoral neck fracture.


Chuck

[splash]

Chuck, thanks for the advise. I am beginning to form that opinion from what I am reading.

[Pat Walter]

Hi Splash

I want to wish you good luck with your upcoming surgery.

Check out James Roxburgh's story - you will love the photos   http://www.surfacehippy.info/jimroxburgh.php  The photos should answer some of your questions.  You can check out some of the other athletes stories here too  http://www.surfacehippy.info/athletes.php

Pat

[splash]

Hi Pat

Thanks for the links. James Roxburgh's photos look amazing. His photos answer a huge amount of questions on flexibility. The op is on the 17th. I'm looking forward to it. The only thing I'm worried about is how will my legs take to stretching afterwards. Bearing in mind that I haven't trained in martial arts for 20 years. I know only time will tell. But I would hate to hear a pop while training and my hip comes out. Maybe it's not as easy as that to dislocate it. James's pics are amazing. But looking at James he could probably do all that range of motion before the op. I would love to hear from anyone who had both hips done and did they manage to get active again afterwards.

Stephen.

[Tekka]

Hi Stephen,

You are correct, James Roxburgh was able to do box splits previously and has fantastic flexibility and some people just have a greater flexibility than others generally!!

I have been involved with mma and boxing for a most of my life and I am back to 80-90% full training " depends on the day..were all getting older". I have no issues with stretching with my bhr, it is a very solid fix mate. But it is a gradual process to get back, plenty of walking, swimming etc is needed and the timelines will differ greatly from person to person,

The first eight weeks are critical to obey your doctors protocol, but from then on you will see a difference daily.

Regrads

Terry

[Pat Walter]

Hi Stephen

If you haven't been active in a sport for 20 years, I certainly would suggest that you are very conservative during your trip back to being active.  Most surgeons let you pretty much do what you want at 6 months, but it does take a full year to become completely healed, sometimes more.

So my suggestion is to be very, very conservative.  Wait 6 months to a year before you start to do anything more than normal exercise.  Once your hip is healed, you should not be able to dislocate the hip resurfacing device.  I do know of several people that did.  One was trying to jerk his knee to his chest, really hard, and dislocated his hip.  The lesson is - if it is diffiuclt to do or hurts - be very easy on your body.  Forcing your body to do things it is not ready to do can definitely cause problems with all the muscles and ligaments around the hip, not just a dislocation.

So be patient and listen to your body.  Don't go to extreme activities of any kind for at least 6 months if not a year.  You are going to be giving a second lease on life so learn to enjoy being pain free and active again before pushing to the next level of any extreme sport. 

I will be watcing for your posts about your recovery.  When you finally start doing Karate again, make me some videos. 

Pat

[splash]

Hi Terry & Pat,

Terry thanks for the advice.I'm planning a trip to the US in March so hopefully I will have the crutches thrown away by then. I've got great advice and contact from two Irish guys from this site who gave me some valuable feedback.

Pat, I do think that all I will be fit for is coaching kids at soccer and at 37 I don't think David Beckham has anything to worry about with me coming back.

Thursday week is D-Day so fingers crossed. I will give feedback on the ordeal.

Stephen

[mojord]

Hi..
I am currently preparing for my Nidan test in Seido karate and had my Left hip re-surfaced 9 years ago as part of the clinical trial..
I have been 'full - on' training (in this style) for 6 yrs...
I have scheduled a xRay and check-up in 2 weeks being the last xRay was done in '06. At the time my doctor told me my hip was better than it ever was and I could anything I like. So I do! Karate, surfing, snowboarding and golf. I do have pain in my lower back if I walk over 1/2 hr (especially if I'm carrying a bag). I also have pain in my upper thigh and down the left side of my thigh. Considering I was walking with a cane for 2 yrs before my surgery, all is pretty good. I just can't carry a golf bag any more and HAVE TO TAKE A GOLF CART (which I really hate). Anyway, that's my story. Update after my xray on Fed 10, 2011