Need a Shoulder Brace for BJJ

[NinjaSquid]

So I just started training BJJ for the club team at my university and in my second class I dislocated my left shoulder again (wrestling in hichschool fucked up my shoulders).

I've dislocated both shoulders multiple times, and I've been to extensive physical therapy, but it just doesn't seem to do much.

I'd rather not have surgery, which I heard still can't fully fix my problem, so I was wondering what shoulder braces are best for me to use to continue training.

I was planning to sit out for a couple weeks to heal and do some therapy, but I really want to get back to training soon.

 

[xMikeyX]

See an OT or occupational therapist. I don't know if a PT could do this also.

 

[NinjaSquid]

See an OT or occupational therapist. I don't know if a PT could do this also.

Going to an occupational therapist to purchase a brace? I was thinking more of standard store bought brace.

 

[BJJLDave]

Hey, you sound like me with my history of shoulder injuries :icon_chee

I used the EVS shoulder brace for a while and it was helpful:

http://www.amazon.com/EVS-Adult-Sho...360383372&sr=1-12&keywords=evs+shoulder+brace

I also used a less intricate brace similar to the link below and it had about the same effect. I haven't actually tried the McDavid brand but I have heard good things about it. Can't go wrong with either brace:

http://www.amazon.com/McDavid-Shoul...qid=1360383342&sr=8-3&keywords=shoulder+brace

After multiple shoulder dislocations, I found a few key things to reduce repeated injury:

1) I reduced the amount of shoulder presses and extra shoulder work I did while lifting weights. I used to lift weights 4-5 times a week and now I lift 2-3. Doesn't mean you have to work out less but if you're having problems with your shoulders, giving your shoulders some proper rest from the gym/jiu jitsu will go a long ways.

2) Proper stretching of your shoulders with the intent to fix bad posture, if you have caveman posture like me, is something that can really help that most people don't realize. Sitting in front of a computer all day can give you a posterior tilt in your shoulders that will put them at much greater risk for injury.

3) Basic exercises taught by a physical therapist or youtube for short term rehab of recently injured shoulders to keep the muscle tight.

I hope your shoulders make a good recovery.

 

[Championstuff]

there is a great warmup in jiu jitsu magazine for shoulders, i have bad shoulders from years of ice hockey, and after doing better warmups for my shoulders i have found that i have very little troubles with my shoulders now.

 

[soda_popinski]

There is only so much you can do and a brace isnt going to help much. If you want to fix the problem you need surgery. If you do not want surgery then you can....

Stretch/Strengthen
Learn the positions it will pop out
Tap early on shoulder locks

I have a bad shoulder and just tap early to any shoulder lock. I have yet to have a problem in 4 yrs of training by tapping early and recognizing vulnerable shoulder positions.

 

[NinjaSquid]

Hey, you sound like me with my history of shoulder injuries :icon_chee

I used the EVS shoulder brace for a while and it was helpful:

http://www.amazon.com/EVS-Adult-Sho...360383372&sr=1-12&keywords=evs+shoulder+brace

I also used a less intricate brace similar to the link below and it had about the same effect. I haven't actually tried the McDavid brand but I have heard good things about it. Can't go wrong with either brace:

http://www.amazon.com/McDavid-Shoul...qid=1360383342&sr=8-3&keywords=shoulder+brace

After multiple shoulder dislocations, I found a few key things to reduce repeated injury:

1) I reduced the amount of shoulder presses and extra shoulder work I did while lifting weights. I used to lift weights 4-5 times a week and now I lift 2-3. Doesn't mean you have to work out less but if you're having problems with your shoulders, giving your shoulders some proper rest from the gym/jiu jitsu will go a long ways.

2) Proper stretching of your shoulders with the intent to fix bad posture, if you have caveman posture like me, is something that can really help that most people don't realize. Sitting in front of a computer all day can give you a posterior tilt in your shoulders that will put them at much greater risk for injury.

3) Basic exercises taught by a physical therapist or youtube for short term rehab of recently injured shoulders to keep the muscle tight.

I hope your shoulders make a good recovery.

Did the brace you used still allow enough movement to train?

 

[jughead1]

there is a great warmup in jiu jitsu magazine for shoulders, i have bad shoulders from years of ice hockey, and after doing better warmups for my shoulders i have found that i have very little troubles with my shoulders now.

is it in the rousey or terra one?

 

[Championstuff]

is it in the rousey or terra one?

I think it is the one with terra on the cover

 

[StabbyMcHatchet]

Hey NinjaSquid, I have had a Chronically dislocating shoulder for around 20 years now. It sucks.

It got to the point where it was coming out on me when I was in bed at night, so I signed up for surgury. I had to wait about 8 months for surgury, and it was during that time that I found BJJ.

Since I started BJJ, I have always been extremely careful about certain movements. It's the over-head stuff that gets me. That "High-five" motion.

Anyways I found that just the full-body workout and conditioning we do at our club was starting to strengthen my shoulder, and where it was popping out frequently and easily before, it actually stopped popping out on me after a while.

I called my Surgeon a week before the operation and told her it wasn't popping out during Jiu Jitsu, and she stressed to me that I should NOT get the surgury because it may never be the same again. She said that the surgury was a last resort that cannot be undone, and for all I know I might lose mobility or function or strength, etc.

Now since I backed out of the surgury, it did come out once during rolling, when I pulled out of a triangle choke (That damn overhead thing again) and once last week when I was shitfaced in Mexico and thought it would be a good idea to do cartwheels with my wife and kids. The cartwheel one was ONLY because I was drunk and careless, because I have done cartwheels without issues before.
So it has come out once due to Jiu Jitsu. (Just for your info, I started BJJ in April of last year, so once in 10 months and I was rolling hard that night)

Anyways, I recommend that you start to incorporate one particular exercise position into your conditioning routine, called the "Elephant walk". Youtube search it.
I take that a step further now, and I do an exercise that I call "Elephant Jacks", which is where you get into the Elephant walk position, and do jumping jacks with your hands (Also known as wide-outs).
I will also get into the Elephant walk position and then hold it for a 10 count one-handed, placing the other hand on my head.

I have found that the Elephant walks really helped strengthen my shoulder, but just start slow until you get used to them, don't just start doing elephant jacks or sinlge handed elephant planks until you have felt it out with your bad arm. Hope this helps. I would avoid surgury as long as possible if I were you.

 

[NinjaSquid]

Anyways, I recommend that you start to incorporate one particular exercise position into your conditioning routine, called the "Elephant walk". Youtube search it.
I take that a step further now, and I do an exercise that I call "Elephant Jacks", which is where you get into the Elephant walk position, and do jumping jacks with your hands (Also known as wide-outs).
I will also get into the Elephant walk position and then hold it for a 10 count one-handed, placing the other hand on my head.

I have found that the Elephant walks really helped strengthen my shoulder, but just start slow until you get used to them, don't just start doing elephant jacks or sinlge handed elephant planks until you have felt it out with your bad arm. Hope this helps. I would avoid surgury as long as possible if I were you.

Thanks for the advice.

I'll look into it.

Sounds like you've dislocated your shoulder as many times as I did, though I have yet to dislocate my shoulder while sleeping.

The strangest dislocation I've ever had was when I was laying on my stomach reading a book and I sneezed... I never thought a sneeze could cause so much pain.

 

[StabbyMcHatchet]

Well it has come out well over 40 times for sure. I couldn't even guess how many beyond that.
But honestly Jiu Jitsu really helped strengthen it. When I first started training there were some things I would not do during the warm up (Head-stand pushups, etc) but now I do them without hesitation.

I should make a video and post it on YouTube to show you the Elephant Jacks, because they are hard to explain. They have helped tremendously.

 

[StabbyMcHatchet]

Sounds like you've dislocated your shoulder as many times as I did, though I have yet to dislocate my shoulder while sleeping.

The strangest dislocation I've ever had was when I was laying on my stomach reading a book and I sneezed... I never thought a sneeze could cause so much pain.

It started coming out with extreme sports (Air Raley attempts wakeboarding and dynos when rock climbing) but over the years it got easier and easier to make it come out. I remember it coming our from a handstand in a pool. That pissed me off.

But the last straw was when it cam out twice in two weeks during sleep. At that time I was not exercising in any way though. Jiu Jitsu has helped a lot.

EDIT to add that I have also been doing a lot of chin ups and pull ups, both wide grip and narrow grip, and when I first started them it felt risky, but now I feel strong with them. So I can't/won't "recommend" them as shoulder strengthening exercises, but I know I can do them now, whereas I couldn't before. The reason I won't recommend them is that for all I know they could make your shoulder pop right out. You have to make your own call on those ones.

 

[BJJLDave]

Did the brace you used still allow enough movement to train?

The brace has good mobility and will hardly interfere with your regular rolling. People will ask about it, though.

 

[StabbyMcHatchet]

The brace has good mobility and will hardly interfere with your regular rolling. People will ask about it, though.

What about the plastic buckles/links on the straps? Did anyone have any issues with them at all?

 

[OMjitsu316]

I have a mcdavid brace. It felt good for a short while, but actually just ended up cramming my shoulder further into the middle of my chest when I finally dislocated it again. The brace got so shifted around while rolling that I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner.

Now I'm on my third week after surgery and I'm pretty sure I made a great decision. I did a ton to strengthen it, but just the right angle/pressure and it never mattered.

I'd advise surgery, but idk, personally, my situation was only getting worse after two years, and it was starting to affect my life outside the gym. 5.5 months and I'll be back at it.

 

[BJJLDave]

I have a mcdavid brace. It felt good for a short while, but actually just ended up cramming my shoulder further into the middle of my chest when I finally dislocated it again. The brace got so shifted around while rolling that I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner.

Now I'm on my third week after surgery and I'm pretty sure I made a great decision. I did a ton to strengthen it, but just the right angle/pressure and it never mattered.

I'd advise surgery, but idk, personally, my situation was only getting worse after two years, and it was starting to affect my life outside the gym. 5.5 months and I'll be back at it.

In that case I'd go with the EVS shoulder brace. I had the SB02 model which doesn't have the plastic buckles that the newer models have. Here's the model of the shoulder brace at amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/EVS-Shoulder-...sr_1_6_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

 

[JRT6]

If you have a labrum torn to the point that sneezing dislocates your shoulder; you really think a cheap neoprene set up is gonna save you in a sport that specifically wrenches on joints? Get it fixed or take up some other sport.

 

[YodaSimmo]

Several breaks dislocations and shoulder surgery from playing rugby led our physio to do what he called 'adidas strapping' I'd put my arm 90 degrees to the side, he would then run 3 strips of tape (adidas stripes)' centre, spaced to the front, then the back. This would then be secured with taping around my bicep and over my shoulder. The tape running vertically is taught when you are relaxed securing the shoulder very well. I have found this to be much better than any shoulder support I have ever tried and also is not restrictive.
Give it a try, any more detail PM me.

Best/worse shoulder dislocation - sneezing and emergency stop in my car

 

[StabbyMcHatchet]

We have guys use tape at our club but the warm ups are so intense that they sweat the stuff right off. It just won't stay stuck.