Hey im Brad my mom is on the site always talking... I am an 18 year old with MM and i have only had my left side done in December... im just kinda woundering if anyone knows how long after having surgery for MM if at all possible how long it takes to return to physical sports like martial arts?? i would like to know if anybody knows about returning to physical activaties!!! [smiley=huh.gif]

Hi Brad,

My daughter Tara (who will be 18 tomorrow) had her surgeries at Stanford last June.  She had always been in some kind of an aquatic sport - synchronized swimming, speed swimming, water polo.  Dr. Steinberg's office cleared her to return to polo in late August, less than 2 months after her second surgery.  The only hitch was that they didn't want her to be a goalie anymore, as the likelihood of a hit to the head is greater as a goalie.

Then she started having occasional TIA's, which have frightened her enough to keep her out of the water.  We'll see what happens with her involvement in the future.

Talk to your doctor about your participation in martial arts.  The answer does seem to vary with each patient, as each individual circumstance is different.  You don't want to live your life in a bubble, but at the same time must exercise a reasonable amount of caution.

Good luck, and I hope things are going well for you!

Jill

Hi Brad.  
Surgery in December, early or late in the month your still only 10 weeks out.  At 18 I know that seems like forever, but for recovery from the type of surgery you had it is not long at all. I am sure the Doctors office gave you a list of things you can and can't do and a schedule for when you can add things in.  
For the first few weeks remember they wanted you to take a stool softner so no straining.  Reason, puts extra pressure on the graft they just worked so hard to put in.
So check your list, call the doctors office and check and then start haveing fun.
Breath control, such as singing, and playing musical instruments can put the same type of pressure on the arteries.  Martial Arts can be the same, sustained controlled breathing.  So just check with the Dr. and start back slow.  Most of all have fun.  

PS  they probably won't want you competing for a while for the same blow to the head reason.

Let us know what the Dr. says and how you are progressing.

Len

I just got an email from mr Dr. in Boston Mass and he said some strenuos ativities are fun like sports but martial arts since u are always taking a blow to the head he would prefer me not to do them as it pose's a risk... He said i could exercise and do others so ill see what i can find