Common MRI Findings for Grapplers… and What They Really Mean
MRIs get ordered constantly in the jiu jitsu and military world. Sometimes they’re necessary… but often they just create confusion.
When you do get an MRI, two questions matter:
Is the finding actually causing your pain?
Does it change your treatment plan?
Here are the most common MRI findings I see in grapplers, and what they usually mean.
Degenerative Meniscus Tears
These are incredibly common, especially in aging grapplers. Years of takedowns, guard passing, torque, and ignoring early pain add up.
Key points:
• Usually caused by wear and tear, not one big moment
• Often treated without surgery: rest, PT, anti-inflammatories
• Surgery is considered if true mechanical symptoms occur (locking, catching, giving way)
Chondromalacia (Cartilage Wear)
Everyone gets some degree of cartilage wear if they train long enough or live long enough.
Important to understand:
• This is normal aging + load
• Treatment is conservative: strengthening, mobility work, yoga, technique adjustments
• Ugly MRI ≠ pain
• Beautiful MRI ≠ pain-free
Cartilage findings are information, not a diagnosis.
SLAP Tears
SLAP = Superior Labrum Anterior to Posterior.
It sounds dramatic. It rarely is.
What the research shows:
• Many people have SLAP tears with zero symptoms
• One study found 81% of adults over 65 have SLAP tears on MRI
• Grapplers see these all the time likely due to posting, frames, underhooks, and falls
The real takeaway:
Get treated based on symptoms, not MRI wording.
Nonoperative treatment works for most. Try everything before considering surgery.
Rotator Cuff “Fraying”
This one scares athletes unnecessarily.
Reality:
• Fraying can occur with aging, especially in combat athletes
• What matters is:
– strength
– motion
– night pain
– function
A frayed cuff with normal strength = PT.
Sudden weakness + severe pain after a specific injury = need to evaluate for a full tear.
Disc Bulges
If you roll long enough, lift weights, or simply age… you’ll see disc bulges.
Most are asymptomatic.
Red flags:
• leg numbness/weakness
• bowel/bladder issues
• severe, unrelenting pain
If none of those are present?
PT, core strength, mobility, and load management usually work very well.
Final Thoughts
MRIs are tools… not the be all end all.
They show anatomy, not pain. They show changes, not always problems.
Symptoms, physical exam, and your functional limitations matter more than the words on a radiology report.
Train smart, rehab early, and understand what actually needs attention… and what doesn’t.
Let me know: Which MRI finding have you been told you have? I might feature it in a future newsletter.
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Dr. Megan Lisset Jimenez
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References:
Hinz M, Kleim BD, Berthold DP, et al. Injury Patterns, Risk Factors, and Return to Sport in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu: A Cross-sectional Survey of 1140 Athletes. Orthop J Sports Med. Dec 2021.
Lansdown DA, Bendich I, Motamedi D, Feeley BT. Imaging-Based Prevalence of Superior Labral Anterior-Posterior Tears Significantly Increases in the Aging Shoulder. Orthop J Sports Med. 2018 Sep 17;6(9). PMID: 30238014
Petrisor BA, Del Fabbro G, Madden K, Khan M, Joslin J, Bhandari M. Injury in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Training. Sports Health. Sep/Oct 2019;11(5):432-439.
Schwartzberg R, Reuss BL, Burkhart BG, Butterfield M, Wu JY, McLean KW. High Prevalence of Superior Labral Tears Diagnosed by MRI in Middle-Aged Patients With Asymptomatic Shoulders. Orthop J Sports Med. 2016 Jan 5;4(1):2325967115623212. doi: 10.1177/2325967115623212. PMID: 26779556
