Surfing

[hawaiieric]

Bill,

Maybe we make our own new sports...like 12oz curls speed run..or double arm 12s...lol...Its funny to think we were not surfing last year and now dealing with it again as in a new..hate popping up, the critical time, so that is why sup has got my interest.  When up on the board for me, I am like I was pre operation...so that is good..just the getting in factor.  (for those just reading the posts but don't surf, its something of a great feeling to be on a wave and to ride it, a feeling that is unbelievable...)  (and I actually one day just took out a belly board to be there in the wave since it was perfect and I had no board with me but had my swim fins)

To all the new hip recoveries, I encourage swimming, I used a snorkel and fins, and it was part of my PT.  I healed fast, but let your body be the judge to your recovery.  Walking on sand is also great..gives you balance and strength over just just normal grass and concrete.  Oh yeah, your mind heals faster when looking at ocean candy and take that as where you want it to.

Bill, check your mail from me,
happy healing everyone,
aloha,
Eric

[John C]

Hi to all Hippy Surfers,
For anyone dealing with issues about jumping to your feet; before you move to SUP, really consider waveskiing. A 7'4" high performance epoxy waveski will carve vertical bottom turns and aerials like a short board; whereas a 10' long, 4" thick SUP is far from maneuverable, and must be pivoted off the tail, rather than carving off the full rail line like a short board or performance waveski. SUPs are definitely an easy way to catch waves, but if you are into carving hard off the bottom, snapping off the lip, and roundhouses, an SUP cannot begin to come close to a waveski.
I first started surfing in Hawaii almost fifty years ago, and have surfed all over Hawaii, the mainland, and Mexico on everything from shortboards to longboards, from windsurfers to body boards; and for small to medium sized glassy surf, a performance waveski is the best tool that I have found.
To see what is possible, go to this website, and check out some of the videos.     http://www.waveski.info/
Lets all keep surfing as long as we can walk or crawl down to the ocean, but don't feel that you need to compromise your performance on the wave by going to bigger and bigger tools.

John

[B.I.L.L.]

Hey John, the surfski things look pretty fun, as do the sup's, but I think my long term healing goal will be to ride a regular old surfboard :D :D 8)
Went boogie boarding at the local beachbreak today. Pulled into some closeout tubes and got a couple pretty good views haha. Had a nice barrell bodysurfing too. The hip is there as far as boogie-ing goes. I got tossed around pretty good on a couple with no ill effects. Going back for some more tomorrow  8)

[russ]

Am finally standing up and doing a few easy manoevres on a short board after four months. I choose waves carefully and don't push myself. Leading up to this I did lot of exercises for upper body strength (200 push-ups and 80 chin-ups daily) as well as the exercises from my physio which worked on building core strength. I also practised getting up from the floor into a standing position a fair bit.

I was catching waves by laying down but as my strength returned thought I would try standing to see how it went. Once I was able to stand without any pain I left it at that and lay down for the rest of the waves. The next day I stood up for two waves, and just kept on increasing it. Now I can get up for most waves but amholding back and not doing anything too radical. My time will come.

Had the BHR on my left hip which, for a goofy, is my back leg. Also had a good level of fitness leading into the op and was surfing right up to op date. I think this, as well as the exercises I did religiously, have got me so far. Photos were taken on the first of July.

Russ

[hawaiieric]

Russ,

Most excellent!!!  Great photos and way to go!  Keep attacking your weakest link and it makes your stronger.  I like your drive and desire to get back in there..I know for I sometimes want it then I take the easy path..but yet still having fun!  Keep posting and sending in the photos..you might have some of us wanting to surf your break ..but no worries, us resurface hippies won't tell where it is..as in gps...

To all those coming anew, don't be afraid to get it done and then go out and do it...the new hip works great..

Eric,
btw, getting some great surf here and great kite too..

8 months out..

[wayne-0]

Hey Eric,
Just to let you know Bill and I went surfing yesterday and both had the best session yet on the new hips. I got up on just about every wave I caught, compared to the earlier sessions of standind up 6 times only. I even saw Bill almost jump up like he was a real surfer :o :o :o. Anyways it's getting much easier to stand up and I believe it will just get better in a couple more months. Keep bringing the cold beers Bill they taste good after we surf. Almost 9 months post op and loving life all over again pain free.

Wayne

[hawaiieric]

Aloha,

Way 2 go!  I have been surfing some too, but put the small board away and only bust out this big log of mine, waves have been perfect, my landing to feet almost there too. (its my forward foot, so its go so much travel, but needs a few more inches)

Winds and kiting has been doing it.  I went almost every day this July, but half into the month, I did stretch strain my groin muscle there in the hip.  Too many off the lips with the kite power and then when tacking back out hitting unprepared bumps and landing hard seems to be where I hurt it. Continuous kiting then catching the flu made its feel worst!  Just made it back into the winds yesterday and got the day off again today..heading out soon.

When doing your 12oz curls to relax all your surfing muscles..should focus on a Hawaii trip.  So far its the best summer in 30 years.
Eric

[B.I.L.L.]

Hey Eric,
Just to let you know Bill and I went surfing yesterday and both had the best session yet on the new hips. I got up on just about every wave I caught, compared to the earlier sessions of standind up 6 times only. I even saw Bill almost jump up like he was a real surfer :o :o :o. Anyways it's getting much easier to stand up and I believe it will just get better in a couple more months. Keep bringing the cold beers Bill they taste good after we surf. Almost 9 months post op and loving life all over again pain free.

Wayne

"Almost like a Real surfer"    hahahaha       Yup, almost.  
The "go surfing every thursday after work" thing is working out good.

We got some good sized waves (Ca. scale haha)  last week and I went bodysurfing at our local beachbreak.  It was pretty crunchy and I got clobbered and rolled pretty good on a couple and am happy to report that the hip felt strong and solid, no rattling or ill after effects at all, Stoked !   I took this picture of my buddy swimming out right before I went out and got several nice beatings.....haha good stuff.  He's in the left side of the picture about to go for the bottom   :o :o     ;D
The picture is kinda small but if you look close you can see his head and arm sticking up...

[peteuk]

hi everyone , i belong over on the thr site ,so sorry if you think i am an interloper, i have had two thr/s done the first 18 months ago and the last one 3 1/2 months ago , i never thought i would be able to surf again after the problems i had with the first one but everything seems to have settled down and the last thr has just been a breeze,

i went surfing for the first time in 18 months a few days ago and got to my feet for a couple of waves without any pain or discomfort at all , i did/nt expect it to be quite so easy as it was , it was probally the most comfortable i have been on a board for 5 yeas or so ,

the swell has dropped at the moment so i will wait until  we have some offshores and reasonable size before i venture out again but it feels like i will return back to surfing ok , this really is the one thing that wil be 100% return to life for me ,

i make boards as a hobby , check out   http://www.seawindsurf.blogspot.com
if you have some time ,

i live in the uk in cornwall , we get quite consistant surf and this time of the year the water is reasonably warm 17 degrees but in the winter it gets down to about 8 degres , 5 and 4 mm suit and hood and gloves , keep surfing everyone , pete

[B.I.L.L.]

hi everyone , i belong over on the thr site ,so sorry if you think i am an interloper, i have had two thr/s done the first 18 months ago and the last one 3 1/2 months ago , i never thought i would be able to surf again after the problems i had with the first one but everything seems to have settled down and the last thr has just been a breeze,

i went surfing for the first time in 18 months a few days ago and got to my feet for a couple of waves without any pain or discomfort at all , i did/nt expect it to be quite so easy as it was , it was probally the most comfortable i have been on a board for 5 yeas or so ,

the swell has dropped at the moment so i will wait until  we have some offshores and reasonable size before i venture out again but it feels like i will return back to surfing ok , this really is the one thing that wil be 100% return to life for me ,

i make boards as a hobby , check out   http://www.seawindsurf.blogspot.com
if you have some time ,

i live in the uk in cornwall , we get quite consistant surf and this time of the year the water is reasonably warm 17 degrees but in the winter it gets down to about 8 degres , 5 and 4 mm suit and hood and gloves , keep surfing everyone , pete

:o :o  Wow the veneer boards are unreal !!  Those are awesome man, works of art for sure,  but dude are you freakin serious on the water temperature ?  Keepin the beer cold not an issue for you I guess, and you don't need to ice your hip after a surf either do ya ??   HaHa   Just kidding, glad you are able to surf again and your boards look great.
I can't speak for anyone else here but I don't really care if you have bhr's or thr's ,  the fact your surfing again when you couldn't before is all that matters, doesn't matter what shape your implants are, They're not Tits for crissakes....no one can see em haha  :D :D  Thanks for posting, your boards look Bitchin,   B.I.L.L. out.       

[peteuk]

hi Bill, thanks for the comments on the boards its just an interest of mine that has got more time consuming over the years , the rest of your post made me laugh ,i never thought of the advantage of cold water in that way,

it sounds lke you surf in warm water, i have done a few times in trips away and it is a good feeling but i do like it in the depths of winter here when its grey and cold, pete

[Timdplumber]

hi everyone , i belong over on the thr site ,so sorry if you think i am an interloper, i have had two thr/s done the first 18 months ago and the last one 3 1/2 months ago , i never thought i would be able to surf again after the problems i had with the first one but everything seems to have settled down and the last thr has just been a breeze,

i went surfing for the first time in 18 months a few days ago and got to my feet for a couple of waves without any pain or discomfort at all , i did/nt expect it to be quite so easy as it was , it was probally the most comfortable i have been on a board for 5 yeas or so ,

the swell has dropped at the moment so i will wait until  we have some offshores and reasonable size before i venture out again but it feels like i will return back to surfing ok , this really is the one thing that wil be 100% return to life for me ,

i make boards as a hobby , check out   http://www.seawindsurf.blogspot.com
if you have some time ,

i live in the uk in cornwall , we get quite consistant surf and this time of the year the water is reasonably warm 17 degrees but in the winter it gets down to about 8 degres , 5 and 4 mm suit and hood and gloves , keep surfing everyone , pete

Hey Pete, reading your post is most inspirational.
I go in for a THR on Sept 28th @ U.C.S.D.. I'm so stoked.
Dr. Ball, one of the great HR doctors, is doing my THR.
I'm counting the days!
Hope to join Wayne-o & B.I.L.L. in the water in 6 months or so. Got a new 8'6" Linden thruster waiting to be ridden.

[B.I.L.L.]

hi everyone , i belong over on the thr site ,so sorry if you think i am an interloper, i have had two thr/s done the first 18 months ago and the last one 3 1/2 months ago , i never thought i would be able to surf again after the problems i had with the first one but everything seems to have settled down and the last thr has just been a breeze,

i went surfing for the first time in 18 months a few days ago and got to my feet for a couple of waves without any pain or discomfort at all , i did/nt expect it to be quite so easy as it was , it was probally the most comfortable i have been on a board for 5 yeas or so ,

the swell has dropped at the moment so i will wait until  we have some offshores and reasonable size before i venture out again but it feels like i will return back to surfing ok , this really is the one thing that wil be 100% return to life for me ,

i make boards as a hobby , check out   http://www.seawindsurf.blogspot.com
if you have some time ,

i live in the uk in cornwall , we get quite consistant surf and this time of the year the water is reasonably warm 17 degrees but in the winter it gets down to about 8 degres , 5 and 4 mm suit and hood and gloves , keep surfing everyone , pete

Hey Pete, reading your post is most inspirational.
I go in for a THR on Sept 28th @ U.C.S.D.. I'm so stoked.
Dr. Ball, one of the great HR doctors, is doing my THR.
I'm counting the days!
Hope to join Wayne-o & B.I.L.L. in the water in 6 months or so. Got a new 8'6" Linden thruster waiting to be ridden.

Look forward to it Timdplumber.  It's nice to hear that the thr's are improved over the earlier versions, since I'm only 50 and I have the worlds steepest cup, chances are I will get one some day as well....Hopefully not but the statistics are not really in my favor. Wayne-O has nothing but good things to say about Dr. Ball. 8)

[wayne-0]

I know the photos are not very good and the waves are small but I can not get anyone to take pictures when the waves are good because they would rather surf than take pics, any ways here are a few

[hawaiieric]

That is what I say when I am shredding my waves...

To funny too when ya get a good one and your friends didn't even see it when they on the beach....

Keep em coming! And make it out to Hawaii some day....

Eric

[slyman]

Hello fellow surfers.  I had my right hip resurfaced 4.5 weeks ago by Dr. Scott Ball in La Jolla, CA.  My main goal in choosing to do this procedure was to be able to surf pain free again.  I also love to bike (road and mtn) and play golf.  Dr. Ball assured me the operation went real well, in fact he said I was one of the easiest patients he ever did!  He thinks there will be no problem eventually getting back in the water and doing all the outdoor things I love.
I just want to caution any of you going through this not to push it too fast.  A friend of mine who surfs my regular break at Scripps and had the same procedure said he tried surfing only 3.5 weeks post-op and that it was a mistake and probably set him back significantly.
At this point I can't imagine that I'll be ready to surf again for at least another month or two. I still have significant pain while walking and the leg is real weak in certain moitions.  I just started PT yesterday and I think that's going to be a big help.
So, anyone out there thinking if choosing Dr. Ball, I highly recommend him and the Thornton hospital at UCSD is top notch!
Good luck!
Sly

[andybc]

Wow! These posts are inspirational. I've windsurfed and waterskied for years but tried surfing a bit late in life - you dudes make it look rather easier than it is!
Maybe I'll just give it another go, though - have an 8ft 6 board which is pretty floaty. Even just sitting beyond the break watching the sunset here in Jersey, Channel Islands is very beautiful and would merit paddling back in for a beer. At 5 weeks post op though, I think I'll wait a bit - especially as the water temp is about 3degrees c here at the moment!
Keep the pics coming.
Andy

[wayne-0]

Hey Sly, Another happy Dr. Ball patient here as well. I waited 3 months to get back on my surfboard and I could not get to my feet yet as the muscels in the legs were too weak still. However at the 4 month mark I gave it a go again and was able to get to my feet. It still wasn't easy for me to just jump right up but I did get to my feet and once I got up it was like i never missed a day. I know the operation had alot to do with my slow jump up but i think not being able to surf for 5 yrs prior to surgery (due to deteriorating conditions in both hips) also played a factor. I've since been windsurfing and snowboarding all with no problems. Good luck and I second that statment about Dr. Ball and his team at Thornton.

Wayne

[slyman]

1/22/11 - went surfing at 7-weeks, one day.  Took extra precautions and went all the way up to San Ono and got the perfect conditions to try out the hip - knee to waist high, clean and not crowded.  Surfed my 9-2.  First wave jumped up fine but was surprised at the pain.  Next two waves I must have gotten up more carefully and slowly because I hardly felt any pain at all.  Then on the fourth wave my right leg slipped off the back of the board and that hurt pretty bad.  I was thinking that was it for me but then the pain just went away, so I stayed out.  Had about a dozen more succesful waves, rights and lefts taking them almost to the beach.  I was so stoked to be surfing again I had this huge grin on my face!!  My right foot slipped off the back one more time but didn't hurt as bad as the first time.  Also, I noticed that while sitting in the lineup, I didn't feel anything on the repaired side like I used to, only on the left side that still needs to get resurfaced some day. What I realized is that it was harder then I thought and it took real concentration and effort on the take-off, but once up I could ride the little waves just fine.  Looking forward to the next surf this weekend!
Sly

[maxx6789]

since doctor said "no running or jumping" for 6 months and included surfing in that category (pretty sure doctor is not a surfer) i bought a boogie board just so i could get into the water before 6 months. i have been going into the ocean about once a week with it but i really don't love boogie boarding.

yesterday, about 4-months post-op, the wave conditions seemed perfect for my new hips ... waves around thigh high, clean conditions, and warm water. i brought both my boogie board and surfboard to the beach and decided to go in the water with my surf board. paddling for the first wave i thought (quickly) maybe i should ride the first wave in on my stomach and then as i was catching the wave i decided to try to pop-up ... success!! caught and rode the first wave ... which was my first wave in over 2 years. the rest of the day went equally well; i was able to easily pop-up and catch almost every wave.

can't wait to go surfing again (and snowboarding, too).