37 yr old athlete hoping for more court time (Wes's Hip Story w/ Dr. Gross)

[jackmac32]

Thanks for the update Wes.  I am the dude that bought your Ice Machine...thanks again, what a great gadget!  Sounds like you are way ahead of schedule!  I am 9 weeks out and was asked to play indoor tennis last night, but I declined.  I will wait till I get to at least the four month mark.  Still walking, doing weights and biking at the gym. 

[wesinator]

John,

Glad you are doing good and the machine served you well.

You saying that you are going to wait until at least 4 months makes me want to take this opportunity to let everyone who reads this know that they should follow their doctor's orders on time schedules to minimize risk.  Just because I am running and jumping early doesn't make it the right thing to do.  I sense that I am not overly risking a big problem, but who knows for sure.  It is my conscious decision to accept additional risk.  Just don't want anyone thinking “well that guy on surface hippy played basketball early, so can I” and then going out and starting basketball at less than 5 months and fracturing their femoral neck.  Ha â€" “do as I say, not as I do”.

With that disclaimer out of the way â€" “SEIZE THE DAY”!

Good luck to you for a continued recovery and stay in touch.

Wes

[Tommy]

Great way to put Wes, live life on the edge and remember a pulse isn't proof of living.
                                                                                              Tommy

[wesinator]

Just wanted to let anyone reading this thread know that I and others have talked in more detail concerning returning to basketball at the below thread:

Hip Talk > Athletes Corner > General Discussion about Athletes >  Anyone return to playing basketball?   

[duck4three]

Wes,

Your posts have been great and extremely encouraging!  I to am a former college hoopster and at 38 I am scheduled to have my hip resurfacing surgery at the end of this month.  At 38 my game went from a very competitive level to barely limping up and down the court.  I am excited to hear that you have returned to playing full court hoops.  Since your return was fairly recent I am very interested in your recent progress on the court.  How has your game been recently?

[wesinator]

Hello duck4three,
Thanks for writing, you prompted me to update the other thread I am participating in, it’s the one above your message (wanted to try to keep bball comments there).
You have probably read advice out the wazoo on this great site, my two cents is try to do as much exercise right up until the surgery.  One guy on here said your body is like a system, and the better shape it is as a whole, the better it can cope with trauma like surgery, and subsequent recovery.  I agree with that.
Good luck on your surgery, hope you can add to the pool of knowledge on hoopsters returning to glory -   Keep posting on your progress!   Sweet.

[wesinator]

Hello all,
Wanted to let anyone who’s interested know that I posted a 2 minute YouTube video of some Y-league highlights (highlights is a stretch) of a 7 month post-op surface hippy balling (playing basketball).  Web address is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFBDdn8l7IQ

Sweet.

Later,
Wes

[The Kid]

Wes...I just had my left hip resurfaced a little over two weeks ago and have been on the surface hippy site for only a short time but your story is so inspiring to me.  Like you I love to play basketball and have been doing so for most of my life, I'm 45 and played (with considerable pain) right up until 1 week prior to my surgery.  The last time I played, I seriously thought that it could very well be the last time I ever play.  Thanks to the hip resurfacing and the wonderful care from my Dr. and team (John Rogerson) I feel that I will be able to regain the ability to play ball again and watching you play only gives me more hope. I also love to run and feel that will be within my reach as well.  Thanks so much for sharing your story.  Hopefully in 8 months to a year I'll have a video like yours.

Take care...Tom  ;D 

[wesinator]

What up Tom,
Thanks for writing, and congrats on your new hardware.  Sincerely hope that you have a swift recovery so you can get back to working on a different type of hardware…   basketball championship trophies!!!

Based on my experience and what I have read, if you were balling before the surgery, you should be good to go this time next year or maybe even later this year.  I bet you will be continually pleasantly surprised at your own progress and renewed capacities.

Am glad to hear that my story is of some benefit to others.  Hope my experience is more the norm than the exception.  From what I have read, it is.  Here at about the 8 month mark, my hip feels like it is over 95%.  As far as I can tell, it is fixed back to before the problems started. 
Keep in touch and let me know how its going.  You are on your way!
Best of luck,
Wes

[wesinator]

Hello fellow hippies,

Just wanted to keep my thread alive as well as report that at 1yr, 3 months my hip is what I consider to be 100% fixed to as good as before I ever starting having any pain years ago.  If you are new to hippie land, or are considering the surgery, know that you are on the right path towards relief from the pain of an arthritic or degenerative hip.

I had an Achilles injury playing basketball (see other thread for details) in the late spring this year, and was wondering how that would affect it, but it has not adversely done so. 

Once again - believe the hype of those guys running marathons, playing sports, doing karate, etc.  I consider myself a walking, talking, willing commercial touting this procedure.  Do it!

Best of luck to you and your hip story!

[roosevelt heights]

Wes,

I concur, 6 and 8 months post op for bilat...returned to the court officiating basketball 2 weekends ago (5 AAU games with 14 year olds), feels gr8 to run pain free...So far, tough to "change speeds" from a jog to a sprint, but in due time I can beat the ball to the endline! The main thing is NO pain in the joints, + flexibility is slowly returning !

[Luann]

Hi Guys,
Thank you so much letting us all know that you are still doing well, and what longer term recovery is like! Gives all us new hippies hope and encouragement! Lu

[duck4three]

Hey fellow hoopers,

I am 7.5 months post op right hip.  I am continually amazed at the miracle this surgery provides.  I am 38 and a very competitive hooper.  I spent much of the first half of my life playing college and pro ball.  I lost just about every advantage I had as my hip was progressively becoming useless due to the arthritis.  I returned to the court this past Saturday, the group I play with are all former college standouts and former NBA guys.  I can't tell you how concerned I was about getting back on the court with these guys.  Several of them joked about me staying out of their way as they make no concessions for me due to my surgery.  Mind you I was one of the top athletes of this group, so there was a little humor and a whole lot of payback in their statements.  What they did not know is that I had been doing intense work outs with an NBA buddy of mine and he worked my but off and pushed me to places I had not yet thought possible.  Jumping, sprinting, changing speeds, lateral slides, "close outs" and a lot more.  This stuff kicked my butt!  and I still have about six more of these work outs to go.  I will probably stick with them as long as he will make time to train me.  I feel like Rocky and Apollo Creed in the gym with him.  Anyway, as a result of the additional training, i was faster, could jump higher and generally move better than anyone expected.  I even got by a few people off the dribble!  This surgery is a MIRACLE!!! It took everything within me to not try to take on everything first time back.  I am going to still take my time, I am looking forward to that 100% status so I can repay a few hoop debts!  Right now, I am VERY happy to be a serious competitor again.  Do the surgery if you are thinking about it, if you have already done it and wondering how it will be after all of the belly shots and crutches, konw that it will be better than you could ever imagine.  I'll post a video soon!

"O"

[wesinator]

Holy cow, that is sweet.  Congratulations my man, so happy for you. Glad you emphasized that there is work involved, lest folks get the idea that you just wake up and waltz back into shape and playing ball.  Oh no, sweat and tears (hopefully no blood) first.

I love your attitude, and I can tell that we would make good teammates.  I am looking forward to hippy season 2, and am also going to rock the house baby!  I have been on the stationary bike 6 nights a week.  Almost time to get it ON!
Do it!

[roosevelt heights]

Duck, that is EXCELLENT to hear !!! Doesn't it feel great to get the burn in the lungs, and for sweat to drip from the chin ?!?! I have already received my CC ball assignments for 2010, and looking forward to "selling" that player control foul !