After a couple years of having issues with my hip and trying chiropractor, acupuncture and yoga for relief, the mechanical issue was getting worse, so I decided to move forward with surgery. I had surgery February 1, 2012 and since then I have been on a new journey.
The surgery went well and the recovery has been going extremely well. I believe wholeheartedly, the skills I have developed through practicing and studying martial arts have been instrumental in my recovery.
In my June 2010 blog “Benefits of Martial Arts Training”, I described the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual benefits from martial arts. Those same benefits and others have been instrumental in my recovery and rehabilitation to date.
Physical
• All throughout my physical therapy and therapeutic yoga sessions, the endurance and muscular strength I have developed through martial arts have been key in my ability to perform the exercises to build back the strength in my hip and leg.
• The coordination I have developed in martial arts has allowed me to actually do some things for myself (with the use of some tools at times) that I may not have been able to do. The ability to do things for myself was critical in retaining a positive attitude.
• The balance I have obtained through martial arts allowed me to practice my exercises better and deeper (e.g., squats and lunges) than I probably would have otherwise. The balance and strength also allowed me to move better and rely less on tools to help me sit, stand etc. All of this also in turn helped with my positive attitude since I was able to retain or gain some independence quicker. The mental aspect of this is a key in the recovery, but more of that later.
• The flexibility and agility also were key aspects of being able to do more for myself quicker than maybe otherwise which again led to feeling very positive about the recovery process.
Mental
• Martial arts have helped me improve my mental strength which has allowed me during my recovery to concentrate and focus on my tasks (whether it be putting my shoes and socks on my myself or my exercises). This focus has allowed me to feel confident I can undertake that challenging task.
• Martial arts have helped me improve my mental endurance which has allowed me to continue and complete tasks that appear difficult or uncomfortable at first. This mental endurance was also key in my ability to get off the pain medications sooner. Pain medications tend to depress breathing. As described in more detail in the emotional section, effective breathing is important in the healing process.
• My physical recovery, as I stated above, has also helped me retain a very positive attitude due to my progress. The benefits of your metal attitude on your health are fairly well documented so will not belabor it here. If you would like to read more, though, I would recommend reading Choosing Brilliant Health [1].
Emotional
• The increased self confidence I have gained from martial arts has allowed me to also take on the challenges and be confident I was ready for this journey and that it would turn out well.
• The effective breathing techniques I have gained through martial arts were definitely a key in the success of my recovery to date. The deep and cleansing breathing has allowed oxygenated blood to move effectively to the incision and has helped in healing it quickly and effectively. In addition the effective breathing has helped in performing some of the challenging exercised during my physical therapy or therapeutic yoga sessions.
Spiritual
• Increased mind-body connection and awareness of my body has also been important. I developed some bad habits from the compensation I was doing to guard the hip prior to the surgery. A lot of the my physical recovery is learning to undo those habits, and it is critical to unlearn them to be aware of what my body is doing and how it is moving at all times.
• Martial arts have also allowed me to gain a sense of clarity. This clarity helped me visualize what I wanted out of the surgery and how I envisioned the recovery to go. So far, I am right on track.
Then there is the energy aspect which could fit in several categories. The ability to run energy, and apply an intention to energy has also been a key to my recovery. By consciously running energy to the operative hip with the intention of healing has helped speed up the process. In addition, the intention to the muscles that were overcompensating to relax and move more naturally has also aided in the speed of recovery immensely.
Virginia Satir, an American psychologist is quoted a saying “Life is not what it’s supposed to be. It’s what it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference”. My martial arts skills have given me more skills and ways of coping with my injury and the recovery. So, keep in mind when studying martial arts the benefits and use of these skills are far wider than using for self-defense.
Regards,
Kelly
“A man who has attained mastery of an art reveals it in his every action.”
~ Gogen Yamaguchi (1909-1989), Grandmaster of Japanese Karate-dō and founder of the International Karate-dō Gōjū Kai Association
References
1. Choosing Brilliant Health: 9 Choices That Redefine What It Takes to Create Lifelong Vitality and Well-Being by Rick Foster, Greg Hicks and M.D., Jen Seda
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