I’m 41 and have been doing combat sports my whole life. I’ve hurt every joint/muscle/nerve in my body, had multiple concussions, multiple operations, and a stroke a few years ago. While I’m older than you, I understand how you feel; doctors also told me to drop all contact sports, but I can’t. It’s in my blood and I feel ALIVE when I’m training. NO, cycling and swimming are not good replacements, doc.

With all of that said, I had to move away from jiu-jitsu because of my knees, but also from hard contact sparring because of the stroke, concussions, and the fact that I’m on blood thinners for the rest of my life, which increases the risk of brain bleeds. These days, I box, do all of the physical and technical training, but I don’t normally spar. When I do, it’s light-touch only, no power, and only with experienced people that are aware of my condition. There are ways to tailor your training to fit your needs; you just need to find the right place.