Dealing With Sprains In BJJ
Every time when we train or compete, there could be the chance of getting an injury in Jiu Jitsu. The most common injury that I see on the mats are sprains to the ankles. It makes sense that sprains are the most common. Whether standing up, or on the ground, are ankle can take some serious abuse. From takedowns, guard passes and submissions, the legs are always being used to a high degree. When you get a sprain, here are some ways that you can heal up faster.
5) Ice It Up
I cannot tell you this enough. You must ice your ankle as much as you can. If you are relaxing and stationary, then you should ice it. A foldable ice pack is what works best. Also when you do ice it, make sure you keep your ankle elevated. Let the blood flow freely in your leg, and use ice to keep swelling down.
4) Use Ibuprofen
While ice will help deal with the swelling, you will need to take care of the inflammation. The way to do that is to use ibuprofen. Use it as directed, with the strongest allowed dose each time to deal with that issue. Keeping the inflammation down is as important as keeping the swelling down. This will lead your road to recovery.
3) Wrap It Up
When you do have to be mobile, whether it be work or going out socially, make sure you wrap your ankle up. You can use a stabilizing ankle brace or a compression wrap. This will give you the proper support you need to be able to get around and go through your daily routine. Wear it for as long as you need it.
2) Don’t Jump On The Mats Too Early
This is how I see people get re-injured the most. Before they are properly healed, they want to get back on the mats as early as possible. But by doing so, they are putting themselves in danger rather easily. You need to make sure that you are completely healed up, before you go back on the mats. If you do not, then you will keep getting injured and not be able to learn and improve in Jiu Jitsu.
1) If Problems Persist, See A Doctor
This is important. If a couple weeks pass by, and you have continuous pain and see no sign of getting better, then it is important to go see a doctor. For a sprain, most times, it is an easy fix and the steps I mentioned earlier will work just fine. But sometimes there might be tendon damage or something more serious which will require a visit to the doctor. While we don’t like to go to the doctor, it is a necessity at certain points.
Injuries are an annoying factor in Jiu Jitsu, but they are not always avoidable. When they do occur, we need to take care of ourselves in the best way possible. Injury care will let us get better and be able to continue on with one of our favorite passions in this world, which is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
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