Gift of Minor Injury
Owner & Head Instructor, Ground Rules Academy
No, I don’t mean providing your training partners with minor injuries as gifts.
I mean that sustaining a minor injury can be a gift — a chance to learn, rehabilitate, and literally come back stronger.
Scope
By minor injury here, I mean a strain, sprain, cramp, or very minor tear.
A catastrophic injury — a major fracture or blowout — is a different thing. A resilient mind may still find silver linings or lessons learned, but that’s not the focus here.
Discovery
As a young person I always followed the doctor’s advice: rest, if it hurts don’t do it, and the body will heal. That’s not entirely wrong. It’s also incomplete.
My experience with grappling in my mid-20s was short-lived — two years on the mats before chronic neck and upper back spasms significantly impacted daily life. I didn’t know it at the time, but rest and healing weren’t enough to fix the underlying mechanical issues that kept the compromised muscle working beyond its capacity. I had to step away from training, even though submission grappling had been my all-time favorite athletic pursuit.
Several years later, while playing basketball in graduate school, my neck went out again in an accidental collision. The spasms were so bad I was in bed for two days. A doctor referred me to a physical therapist.
The physical therapist described how she would prescribe exercises to fix the issue. That was a life-changing moment. I didn’t know you could fix it. I followed the DPT’s exercise prescription and committed myself to returning to BJJ.
When I got back on the mats, I decided nothing would keep me away again. Any injury would be rehabilitated. I would spend the rest of my life pursuing the gentle art.
Injury Response Protocol
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice and I am not a medical doctor. This information applies to minor strains and sprains only. If a serious injury occurs, seek professional medical assistance immediately.
Acute Phase
Stop training at the first sign of real pain — a sprain, tweak, pop, or muscle spasm. Even something as minor as a muscle cramp should be treated as an injury. Your muscle is reporting that it’s overworked and can’t handle the load anymore.
Don’t stretch it. A lot of us imagine stretching can undo some of the damage, when it often makes things worse. Gentle massage is okay if it feels good. But the first two to three days after injury should be spent avoiding real pain and letting the site heal. Keep it moving if you can — just don’t chase into real pain.
Minimize ice and NSAIDs if you can. They’ll reduce inflammation and pain, but inflammation exists for a reason. It’s your body recruiting the immune system to the area for repair, which helps maximize healing. Use those tools if the pain is significantly affecting daily life. Avoid them if you can.
Seek medical advice. Severity determines who you should see. For anything truly minor, my go-to is the best sports chiropractor in town: Dr. Manny Valle at InMotion Sports Chiropractic in Livermore. I’ve worked with him for almost ten years, and he’s helped me through countless acute and chronic minor injuries. If Dr. Valle doesn’t fit your schedule, seek out a certified sports chiro who does soft tissue work — not just crack your neck and swipe your card — and can give you homework.
If you suspect real damage, get an X-ray and MRI. Visit your doctor; they’ll likely refer you to a specialist. Try to rehabilitate naturally with guidance from a physical therapist, and only agree to invasive procedures (injections and surgeries) when they’re absolutely necessary.
Mindset
We often get a wave of uncomfortable emotions after an injury — fear, disappointment, regret, self-pity. Those feelings are fueled by negative thoughts: “I’m going to miss out on training,” “progress will be stalled,” “it was stupid of me to ignore the warning signs,” and more.
But a minor injury can be like a training program for a healthy mindset. You can handle training setbacks with poise and minimal emotional discomfort if you know how to talk to yourself.
Minor injuries teach you that hardships pass with time. I’ve collected dozens of injuries throughout my BJJ career — days, weeks, or months off the mat. I’ve returned every time. When I get injured now, I tell myself there’s no reason to stress. With patience and an intelligent rehab program, I’ll make it back.
Injuries are a learning opportunity. Let’s practice finding silver linings. You can almost always learn something. Was it a chronic weak spot that got strained or pulled? Proper rehab can bring it back stronger and give you new insight into how your body moves. That perspective helps prevent recurrence and highlights connections to other dysfunctional areas. (FYI: it’s all connected.)
Was it a sprain from a spazzy white belt? Protect yourself better next time — reminder: BJJ is a form of self-defense. Staying protected is ultimately your responsibility. If a partner is much larger and you know they can’t control themselves yet, politely decline the roll.
Don’t be mean to yourself. We all make mistakes and exercise poor judgment from time to time, especially when adrenaline is pumping. Doing something stupid — failing to tap in time, ignoring warning signals from your body — is no reason to bully yourself. That only adds insult to injury. Give yourself the same courtesy and forgiveness you’d give a loved one. You wouldn’t berate your mother, right? Then don’t berate yourself. Show yourself forgiveness and compassion first, and you’ll get better at offering the same to the people around you.
Having the composure to take an injury without letting it ruin your life is a skill. It comes with practice — and it helps you manage any hardship life throws at you.
Going forward
Study. There’s a ton of great resources on how your body functions (or dysfunctions). With dedicated study you’ll learn your own quirks and how to rehab yourself using tools from physical therapy, active release therapy, myofascial release, and PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) stretching. Squat University on Instagram and YouTube is one of my favorites — but explore on your own.
Don’t stop rehabbing. Keep digging even after you’ve recovered from the acute injury. Study your body and start tackling old chronic mobility limitations. Those are weak spots waiting to give out — often leftovers from past injuries that were never properly rehabilitated. Restoring function there makes you stronger, more flexible, and more resilient. It’s like turning back the clock on your body toward a more youthful, athletic state.
Final Thoughts
Seasoned martial artist, trainer, and stunt coordinator Matt Lucas told me once that low-level martial arts is about hurting people, and high-level martial arts is about healing people. After fourteen years on the mats, I could not agree more.
Strains and sprains happen. They’re an inevitable part of the journey — part of the education. Learning to rehabilitate is a skill that builds composure for any hardship, and it can potentially extend your lifespan.
A couple questions
What can a minor injury teach me? It can be a gift: a chance to learn, rehabilitate, and come back stronger.
How should I think about training after an injury? Remind yourself that setbacks pass. With patience and an intelligent rehab program, you’ll come back stronger.
What’s my first step when something hurts? Stop training at the first sign of real pain and let the site heal instead of leaning into the pain.
Is this medical advice? No. I’m sharing what I’ve learned from minor strains and sprains, not diagnosing anyone; serious injuries need professional medical help.
Russ Jensen, PhD is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and the founder of Ground Rules Academy in Pleasanton. With a PhD in physical chemistry from MIT, he brings a unique, science-based approach to teaching technique on the mats. He is the author of Ground Rules: Simple Physics for the Grappling Arts.