What martial arts are good for someone with bad legs?

Question

Basically I would like to find a good MA for my skeletal problems. My legs bow inwards (the bones are bent; genu valgum and coxa vera), my legs are also twisted inwards... if my knees are pointing forwards my feet point inwards... something to do with the upper leg, I think. Also plica in my hips, knees and ankles, which causes a somewhat painful snapping/popping in those joints (but mainly the hips) when certain movements are done.

I did TKD for about 3 years and was actually pretty good at it, but it was too tournament based and has put too much stress on my knees so that even now, a few years later, my knees are sore from normal walking. Also, my muscles were still much weaker than those of a normal person, due to the alignment being off so the wrong muscles get used and the right ones don't. I'm trying my best with physical therapy to straighten them out, but any advice on good martial arts for me would be more than welcome, thanks.

Answer 1

Tai Chi looks like a good answer to me, but I have not personally seen a school that teaches the self-defense form of the style.

Almost any style can be modified for your unique abilities. I would suggest to see what is available in your area, then discuss your concerns with the instructors. If you were able to practice Tae Kwon Do with all the high kicks, then you can do just about any style. You just need to modify for the movements that cause you pain.

Boxing looks like a good fit as you are only striking with your hands. But, boxing is really dependent on footwork. You are always moving and bending at the knees.

If you have a submission style available it might be good for you. Look around for Judo, Jujitsu, etc. There are a lot of joint locks that don't depend on the guard, which might not be comfortable for you.

Answer 2

You might try to find a good Ba gua Zhang teacher. It was an Imperial Guard Defense Art, if taught properly, is one of the most dynamic internal form. (The soft style Jet Li uses in The One) It has great mobility, good striking, throws and locks techniques, not to mentioned great health benefits.

The stances are not demanding and the footwork requires your foot to be totally flat on the ground. Because the foot is not arched, you will find your knees less stressed.

In fact, right now, you can start using this principle to help to lesser the pain from walking.

1.Make sure your both feet are flat on the ground.
2. As you walk, keep your back straight, make sure you land with your feet flat on the ground.
3. Do not bend your knees but use your thighs more.
4. Keep practicing till it becomes natural.

Hopefully this will help to keep your alignment in check.

Lastly, if you can't find Ba Gua, you can try Tai Ji, just as well. Good Luck!

Answer 3

i whole heartedly recommend tai chi.

ive had problems with my knees and ankles from having osteomyalitis when i was a child. my right leg was (and still is, though not as bad) turned in, which kinda made my other side compensate.

like you, at first i studied a kicking based martial art (karate) and i found it to be incredibly good, especially the stretching routines.

after one class of serious chen style tai chi, especially with the partnered 'push hands' exercise i felt so much better! it was like a month of goodness from karate after an hour and a half, it felt as good for my lower body as kung fu feels for my upper body.

now that i have iron rings ive been doing form with them on and it really is amazing, it feels like im making so much progress.

if you can find someone who can actually teach you chen style, you would be surprised at how powerful it is as a martial art.

there is quite a few tai chi variants out there in order of popularity, they are:

Yang, Wu, Chen, Sun, and Wu/Hao.

It is generally believed that all of the styles are descended from chen, it is the oldest style anyway and is also considered the hardest.

the 'push hands' is what i feel really does the work on the body, i mean the form is really good too, but its the push hands that helps you to build enough strength to go really low during form.

when ive done big sessions of push hands, ive come out completely drenched in sweat, if you do it properly and hard i find its physically more taxing than kung fu or karate is.

i know exactly how you feel and i really cant recommend it enough : )

Good Luck : )

Answer 4

Tai Chi
i myself (16y.o) was in the same situation as you. i have many recurring knee and ankle injuries from doing TKD and martial arts.

i'm now doing Shaolin but it is getting a bit worse despite i'm committed and find it more interesting & challenging.

the best thing you can do is consult a physio and see what sort of stretches would be best for you with your condition.

Answer 5

Rather than martial arts I'd try yoga. Svaroopa yoga can really help skeletal problems over time and you can do it at home once you learn some basics. Often this kind of problem is based in extreme muscle tightness deep down causing bone issues and yoga can help correct it.

That might allow you to do martial arts afterwards.

Answer 6

Tai Chi Chuan and/or Wing Chun.

Answer 7

go for boxing..its good for self defense ...u will have great combo n good strike rate n power

Answer 8

try ti chi for the work out. i hear it's great for arthritis.