Jiu Jitsu Injuries and Longevity: A Physical Therapist’s Guide to Staying on the Mats

Jiu Jitsu Injuries and Longevity: A Physical Therapist’s Guide to Staying on the Mats

Jiu-jitsu injuries, BJJ rehab, finger injuries, neck pain, leg locks, physical therapy, and longevity are all part of the reality of staying on the mats long term. In this episode of the Doctor Jiu Jitsu Podcast, I sit down with Eugene Tsozik, physical therapist, jiu-jitsu black belt, founder of The Jiu Jitsu Therapist, and co-host of the Chewjitsu Podcast. This conversation is all about what grapplers need to understand if they want to train hard without constantly breaking down. We talk about the injuries that show up most often in jiu-jitsu, including finger injuries, mallet finger, neck pain, cervical radiculopathy, knee injuries, leg locks, bursitis, and the long road back after being cleared from traditional physical therapy. One of the biggest takeaways from this episode is that “cleared” does not always mean ready for jiu-jitsu. Grappling is different. You are not just returning to running, lifting, or controlled movement. You are returning to a live opponent who can stack you, twist you, pull you, and put your body under pressure from unpredictable angles. That is why rehab has to respect the sport. We also get into longevity, strength training, mobility, grip management, load management, and why what you do off the mats matters just as much as what you do during training. If you train jiu-jitsu, coach grapplers, treat combat athletes, or want to stay healthy enough to keep training for years, this episode will give you a smarter way to think about recovery, injury prevention, and performance. New episodes of the Doctor Jiu Jitsu Podcast drop the first Friday of every month. Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome to the Doctor Jiu Jitsu Podcast 00:55 – How Eugene Started Jiu-Jitsu During PT School 04:22 – Training Through Medical School and Injury Fear 09:23 – The Most Common Injuries in Jiu-Jitsu 10:17 – Finger Injuries, Grip Fighting, and Hand Health 17:37 – Neck Pain, Numbness, and Cervical Radiculopathy 23:57 – Why “Cleared” Does Not Mean Ready for Jiu-Jitsu 32:02 – Dangerous Positions, Stacking, and Leg Lock Awareness 40:13 – Strength Training, Mobility, and Longevity for Grapplers 52:07 – How to Keep Training as You Get Older 58:05 – Knee Bursitis and When It Becomes a Problem To learn more about Dr. Megan Jimenez, check out her website: doctorjiujitsu.com [https://meganjimenez.com/]

Combat Sports Injuries Explained: Surgeon's Guide to Prevention and Recovery

Jiu jitsu injuries, MMA injuries, ACL tears, elbow injuries, pec tears, and recovery mistakes are more common than you think. As an orthopedic surgeon and BJJ black belt, I see where athletes go wrong. In this episode of the Dr. Jiu Jitsu Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Steven Mora, a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon who has spent over a decade treating combat athletes. We break down the real patterns behind injuries in jiu jitsu and MMA, including what “cauliflower elbow” actually is, why pec tears are often missed or underestimated, and how small decisions like not tapping early can lead to long-term damage. We also talk about the biggest mistakes athletes make in recovery, why timelines like “3 months” don’t always apply, and how to approach rehab like you would prepare for competition. If you train, coach, or treat athletes, this is a conversation you need to hear. Timestamps: 00:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0tlXdqnNU4] – Why Combat Athletes Get Injured Differently 02:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0tlXdqnNU4&t=120s] – The Insurance and Access Problem for Athletes 02:48 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0tlXdqnNU4&t=168s] – What Is “Cauliflower Elbow”? 03:49 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0tlXdqnNU4&t=229s] – Early Warning Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore 05:39 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0tlXdqnNU4&t=339s] – The Real Cost of Not Tapping Early 07:24 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0tlXdqnNU4&t=444s] – Why “Partial” Pec Tears Are a Big Problem 09:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0tlXdqnNU4&t=540s] – When It’s Too Late… and What Can Still Be Done 14:29 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0tlXdqnNU4&t=869s] – Surgery, Recovery, and the Athlete Mindset 18:01 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0tlXdqnNU4&t=1081s] – Why Recovery Timelines Are Often Wrong To learn more about Dr. Megan Jimenez, check out her website: doctorjiujitsu.com [https://meganjimenez.com/]

Farm To Performance: Avery Claire Wrigglesworth of Lily Hill Farm

Regenerative farming, nutrition, grass-fed beef, combat athlete performance, inflammation, and recovery all start with what you eat. As an orthopedic surgeon and jiu-jitsu athlete, I wanted to understand why food quality matters more than we think. In this episode of the Dr. Jiu Jitsu Podcast, I visit Lily Hill Farm and sit down with Avery Claire Wrigglesworth to break down how regenerative farming works, why pasture-raised meat is different, and how sourcing your food directly impacts your health, inflammation, and performance. We talk about the realities of modern food systems, the stress animals experience in traditional supply chains, and why reconnecting with your food source can change how you feel, train, and recover. If you're serious about performance, longevity, and reducing inflammation, this conversation will change how you think about food. Episode Highlights: 00:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXaK1wWgMcA] – Why Combat Athletes Should Care About Nutrition 01:42 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXaK1wWgMcA&t=102s] – Why Farm-Raised Meat Tastes Different 02:41 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXaK1wWgMcA&t=161s] – Stress, Transport, and Animal Health 03:41 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXaK1wWgMcA&t=221s] – What These Cattle Actually Eat 04:46 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXaK1wWgMcA&t=286s] – Why People Don’t Source Food This Way Anymore 05:48 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXaK1wWgMcA&t=348s] – What Regenerative Farming Really Means 08:23 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXaK1wWgMcA&t=503s] – Is Buying From Farms Too Expensive? 09:21 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXaK1wWgMcA&t=561s] – The Reality of Farming Most People Don’t See 10:32 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXaK1wWgMcA&t=632s] – How Nutrition Impacts Pain, Inflammation, and Performance To learn more about Dr. Megan Jimenez, check out her website: doctorjiujitsu.com [https://meganjimenez.com/]

Return to Jiu Jitsu After Injury: A Surgeon and PT Black Belt Talk Rehab and Reality

In this episode of The Doctor Jiu Jitsu Podcast, I sit down with my friend Mike Piekarski, PT, DPT, BJJ black belt (Dr. Kickass), to talk about why jiu jitsu rehab is different. We cover the biggest mistake grapplers make after an injury, how to modify training without losing your mind, when rehab becomes sport specific (especially after ACL surgery), and how to build longevity through smarter load management, graded exposure, and better gym culture. Episode Highlights: 00:56 – Why Jiu-Jitsu Rehab Is Different From Other Sports 02:04 – The Movement Demands of Jiu-Jitsu Athletes 03:25 – When Athletes Should Return to Sport After ACL Surgery 04:18 – Rebuilding Confidence After Leg Lock Injuries 07:29 – Mike’s Journey From Fighter to Physical Therapist 11:50 – The Biggest Mistake Injured Jiu-Jitsu Athletes Make 19:53 – Recovery, Overtraining, and Using HRV Data 24:57 – Dangerous Positions That Cause BJJ Injuries 33:22 – Warmups That Actually Prevent Injuries 42:21 – The One Rule Every Grappler Should Follow for Longevity  Find Mike on Instagram: @doctor_kickass Subscribe for more episodes on combat sports injuries, recovery, and performance. New episodes drop the first Friday of every month at doctorjiujitsu.com/podcast. If this episode hit home, share it with your training partners, drop a five-star review, and be sure to follow so you don’t miss the next one.  To learn more about Dr. Megan Jimenez, check out her website: doctorjiujitsu.com [https://meganjimenez.com/]

ACL Tears: Perspective From a Surgeon Who's Been There

In this episode of Doctor Jiu Jitsu, we tackle some of the most common concerns in combat sports: real-world injury management, practical orthopedic care, and how to actually use physical therapy to stay on the mats long term. Most combat athletes hear “ACL tear” and assume their season or career is over. It’s not. As an orthopedic sports surgeon for the U.S. Army, jiu-jitsu brown belt, and someone who has torn an ACL on the mats, I break down ACL injuries the way athletes actually need to hear them. We dive into how ACL tears really happen in combat sports, when surgery is truly necessary, what your graft options mean, and what rehab feels like from the inside. We also touch on other common issues like persistent shoulder injury, and how smart injury management and physical therapy can keep you performing instead of sidelined. My goal is simple: help you stay healthy, avoid re-injury, and get back to training with confidence. If you’ve torn your ACL, think you might have, or just want to protect your knees and shoulders while you keep training hard, this episode gives you the playbook I wish every combat athlete had. Episode Highlights: 00:44 - What Dr. Jiu-Jitsu is and why ACL injuries matter 02:20 - How ACL tears actually happen in combat sports 03:47 - High-risk positions: takedowns, leg locks, lockdown, 50/50 06:51 - How ACL tears present differently in combat athletes 10:33 - How surgeons diagnose ACL tears: Lachman, drawer, pivot shift 11:50 - Surgery vs no surgery: what athletes need to know 18:08 - Graft options, repairs, and what’s best for combat sports 23:01 - Rehab, return-to-sport timeline, and long-term knee health New episodes drop the first Friday of every month at doctorjiujitsu.com/podcast. If this episode hit home, share it with your training partners, drop a five-star review, and be sure to follow so you don’t miss the next one. Oss! To learn more about Dr. Megan Jimenez, check out her website: doctorjiujitsu.com [https://meganjimenez.com/]