Need advice on how to prevent injury

[MariaK]

Dear all,
I started tkd (WTF) about 10 months ago as an adult and constantly run into one annoying problem. My left leg is much weaker than the right one (I'm an ordinary right-handed person). A a result, I get minor damages in both the knee and hip joints in my left leg when the left leg is a supporting one for kicks. I talked to the master instructor who told me that probably the muslces are overloaded on the left leg to such an extent that it results in damage to joints and I need to exercise it more to make it equal in strength to the right one.

Do you have any suggestions on the type of exericeses that are availale? I train in tkd 3 days per week and in tennis (with very intensive running drills) 2 days per week. How do I train muscles on the left leg separately from the right one?

Thank you a lot for you advice,
Maria

 

[lifespantkd]

Dear all,
I started tkd (WTF) about 10 months ago as an adult and constantly run into one annoying problem. My left leg is much weaker than the right one (I'm an ordinary right-handed person). A a result, I get minor damages in both the knee and hip joints in my left leg when the left leg is a supporting one for kicks. I talked to the master instructor who told me that probably the muslces are overloaded on the left leg to such an extent that it results in damage to joints and I need to exercise it more to make it equal in strength to the right one.

Do you have any suggestions on the type of exericeses that are availale? I train in tkd 3 days per week and in tennis (with very intensive running drills) 2 days per week. How do I train muscles on the left leg separately from the right one?

Thank you a lot for you advice,
Maria

For the best and safest answer to your question, I would recommend that you consult a sports medicine specialist who can analyze exactly what is going on in your particular situation. Repeated injury could be the result of many things alone or in combination--from an underlying medical issue to incorrect technique to inadequate fitness for the task to bad luck in a particular moment to....

Best wishes,

Cynthia

 

[ATC]

Squats, squats, and more squats. Feet pointed straight and legs narrow (just inside shoulders). Feet point out and legs wide (far outside the shoulders). Feet pointed straight and shoulder width. Do them everyday and 3 to 5 sets for 15 - to 20 reps per set. The wider the legs the deeper the squat.

Squats hit every muscle in the legs from glutes to calfs and everything inbetween. Nothing beats them. They even work your core. You can add weight once body weight is not enough.

Add dead lifts to really hit the adductors and posterior chain of muscles in the back of the leg.

Happy training.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Your post does not provide enough information. What type of injury are you experiencing. Most people , especialy beginners may do something technicaly different with one leg versus the other and not realize it.

I can only make a guess that you are putting a lot of twisting strain on the leg which manifests itself in knee and hip pain. This type of issue usualy presents itself when kicking with the other leg. The excess torque results from a poor pivot on the support foot caused by failing to raise the heel slightly and pivot on the ball of the foot. Have someone watch your support foot pivot on each foot as you perform different kicks and note any differences.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Your post does not provide enough information. What type of injury are you experiencing. Most people , especialy beginners may do something technicaly different with one leg versus the other and not realize it.

I can only make a guess that you are putting a lot of twisting strain on the leg which manifests itself in knee and hip pain. This type of issue usualy presents itself when kicking with the other leg. The excess torque results from a poor pivot on the support foot caused by failing to raise the heel slightly and pivot on the ball of the foot. Have someone watch your support foot pivot on each foot as you perform different kicks and note any differences.

+1 for this.

One of the most common mistakes made by beginners is failure to pivot on the supporting leg, especially on roundhouses. Since the body and kicking leg are turning, failure to pivot on the supporting leg puts enormous rotational forces on the knee and (to a lesser extent) hip of the supporting leg. This hurts. And can lead to damaged ligaments and all the fun things that go along with that.

Sometimes a difference in technique is absolutely unavoidable. I only have one eye. If I want to see the target, I have no choice but to modify stances and techniques slightly. This costs me points in forms, but that doesn't bother me in the least.

Yes, you need to build up your strength. But frankly, I question if there is really an actual, rather than perceived, difference in strength. I've seen tons of people kick a bag and comment that one leg is weaker, when in fact what is "weaker" is their technique. The lessened impact is a function of lesser technique, not actual muscle strength. How are you determining that one leg is weaker than the other?

 

[StudentCarl]

Adding onto the above: the other most common mistake I see is trying to pivot on the heel or whole foot rather than on the ball of the foot. This is a matter of both training and strength. If your instructor has significant experience with your age group, his advice might be on the spot. If not, or if you have doubts, I suggest seeing your physician. Many people who are well past "youth" are active in Taekwondo. Taking the time to meet your body's needs will help you thrive and be your best. Good luck.

Carl

 

[TKDinAK]

This type of issue usualy presents itself when kicking with the other leg. The excess torque results from a poor pivot on the support foot caused by failing to raise the heel slightly and pivot on the ball of the foot.

The very first time I tried a spinning kick, I pulled/strained something on the inside of my left knee that still hasn't healed entirely. I was sparring and hadn't been taught the kick yet (180 Right Leg Side Kick), and shouldn't have tried it. My instructor was watching and pretty much said the same thing as you. He calls it pre-lifting... not only getting the heel up, but also getting most of the weight off the ball of the foot just before spinning.

 

[MariaK]

Thank you all for the advice! I will definitely check how I pivot on the left leg - I have a suspicion that because it's weaker, I feel less stable when it's a supporting one that results in, yes, less pivoting and more strain on joints.