Herniated disc - going back to BJJ training?

[AdrianT]

Hi everyone,

a bit of background - used to be a meathead, had a couple of neck injuries usually while overhead pressing but a couple of days' rest would cure it, been doing BJJ for a year

So I've been doing BJJ for more than a year now. I have had a stiff neck or some neck pain but nothing too serious, but in the beginning of July I did some pullups, afterwards rode a bus where AC was blowing on my neck the whole time, and I woke up with a spasm in my right side and pain shooting from my neck and shoulder all the way down to my index and middle fingers. The fingers also went almost completely numb. I went to see a neurologist, had an MRI and found out I had a C6-C7 2,5mm disc protrusion and other degenerative changes and other shit in my neck. The first week was excruciatingly painful and sleepless but I got over it, the second week I started doing some light neck stretches, massage, neck traction etc and for the past couple of days I have been doing some light workouts with bands, strenghtening my neck, rhomboid trigger point release etc and I feel awesome. The pain is almost completely gone, I feel like I have full mobiility in my neck, no noticeable muscle atrophy in my right side, no noticeable strength loss etc. Almost back to normal. I actually think it was not an acute hernia but rather the muscle spasm that made the disc aggravate the nerve, because when the spasm went away and I started releasing and strenghtening the trigger point in the rhomboid muscle/scapular area, everything seems to be back to normal.

Anyways, my question is, especially after reading how people have been away from the mats for months or years after cervical disc hernia, is it safe to go back to some light BJJ drilling in the beginning of August? I will carry on rehabing the affected areas and working out lightly until the end of July just to be sure, but considering I am almost pain free, I would like to get back asap. How about changing my game? I love to go for takedowns, lead with the head and apply a lot of pressure, generally I like being on top and do a lot of stuff with my head, but I think I might have to change my game completely, at least for the time being, right? Play more guard, open guard, avoid triangles, neck cranks and being stacked like plague.

Has anyone experienced such a rapid recovery after being diagnosed with a herniated disc in the cervical spine?

 

[Zankou]

Glad you seem to be recovering very fast. The good news is that as far as I can tell the faster and more 'abnormal' the herniation is, the better chance you have for great recovery. The more it is a chronic/degenerating part of your physiology, the less likely that you will be able to train though it (or it may require surgery).

That is a faster recovery than most, but I would think there's nothing wrong with light drilling if you feel fine.

As far as changing your game to deal with neck injury, that's a good idea, and the usual recommendation is to play open guards and top game. You shouldn't be getting much neck pressure if you don't lead with your head, and there are plenty of top game styles that don't lead with your head --- check out Rafa Mendes for a great example. You might have to give up tight pressure passing and learn a more mobile style.

 

[zeli_papa]

My advice would be to listen to your body , don't come back to the mat until you're totally pain free.
After you come back be extra cautious not to compromise your neck and avoid some crazy guillotines (tap early if need be)
I've got a serious 14 mm herniation in my lumbar spine L5-S1 which put me out of comission for nearly 3 months last year but since then after lots of physio and rest I sucessfully returned and been training consistently ever since.

I try to avoid being stacked or inverting but I never used to do it anyway, just not my style. Also my advice would be not to read anything regarding the herniation on the Internet , there's plenty of horror stories that stay in your head but your don't know the background of each and every case.

Disc herniation is not the end of the world, you'll come back from it and you'll be training for years to come, just don't rush things and let it heal properly.

 

[AdrianT]

Thanks for the answers guys. I will definitely ease into it when I get back.

 

[BJJBLUEVA]

Adriant how are you feeling now?

 

[SandisLL]

From my experience with people I know, you are lucky.

My experience with injuries ( not about BJJ! ) was, that after car accident i got suspended kick licence even for Kick Light for 1 year ( later they don't allowed full contact kick for extra 2 years ) neurologist suspended allowance for amateur boxing for 2 years ( head trauma ).
The most terrible effect was, that due to partially dislocated joint i was able to lift in snatch up the same weight only after 18 months... so there serious sport career opportunities ended forever. These painkillers and other stuff prescribed helps, but not heals discs or joints.


If only one or two discs are affected, maybe neurosuregon might help at least with advices.