Common Knee Injuries Sustained in Jiu-Jitsu Practitioners
Common Knee Injuries
Ligamentous Sprains
Grade I: The fibers of the ligament are stretched, but there is no tear. There is a little tenderness and swelling.
Grade II (Partial Tear): The fibers of the ligament are partially torn or incomplete tear. There is a little tenderness and moderate swelling with some loss of function.
Grade III (Complete Tear): The fibers of the ligament are completely torn (ruptured); the ligament itself is torn completely into two parts. The ligament cannot stabilize against movements.
MCL Injury: Is a ligament on the inside of your knee its purpose it to provide support and structural stability to your thigh bone (femur) and shine bone (tibia). MCL’s are commonly injured with movements of the knee moving to far inside our bodies causing an excessive stretch.
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LCL Injury: Is a ligament on the outside of your knee its purpose it to provide support and structural stability to your thigh bone (femur) and shine bone (tibia). LCL’s are commonly injured with movements of the knee bowing outward (Varus Force) causing an excessive stretch to the outside knee ligamentous support.
ACL Injury: An ACL injury can range from mild (such as small tears/sprain) to severe (when the ligament is completely torn). The ACL is a band of dense connective tissue which courses from the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone). Its primary purpose is to resists anterior tibial translation (shin bone moving too far forward relative to the knee) and rotational loads of the thigh and shin bones.
The ACL is the most frequently Grade III ruptured ligament of the knee. Majority of ACL injuries occur in active persons between 15 to 25 years of age. 70% of ACL sporting related injuries occur through noncontact or minimal contact situations. However, in the world of Jiujitsu, knee bars, Judo throws and certain guard positions can cause stress/strain ligamentous injury,
ACL RUPTURE: Grade III: The fibers of the ligament are completely torn (ruptured); the ligament itself is torn completely into two parts. The ligament cannot control knee movements. The knee feels unstable or gives out at certain times.
An ACL injury prevention program can be helpful for all patients. However, these prevention programs will not prevent ACL tears from occurring but can help mitigate the risk.
PCL Injury: An PCL injury can range from mild (such as small tears/sprain) to severe (when the ligament is completely torn). The PCL is a band of dense connective tissue which courses from the anterior femur (thigh bone) to the posterior tibia (shin bone). Its primary purpose is to resists posterior tibial translation (shin bone moving too far backward relative to the knee) and rotational loads of the thigh and shin bones.
PCL RUPTURE: Grade III: The fibers of the ligament are completely torn (ruptured); the ligament itself is torn completely into two parts. The PCL is slightly thicker than the ACL and less commonly injured in comparison to the ACL. In the world of JiuJitsu PCL injuries are sustained in functional movements such as falling onto a fully bent (flexed) knee, forceful leg or body kicks to the front thigh (femur).
Menisci Injury: The primary function of the menisci is to reduce compression on the joints of the shin bone (tibia) and thigh bone (femur). Tears of the meniscus are most common with a combined standing (weight bearing) + twisting (axial rotation) motion. The menisci on the inside (medial) of your knee is more commonly injured than the outside (lateral) menisci. Forces to the inside or outside of the knee can also indirectly strain and injure the meniscus.
