Dream about Sprinting

[Tin Soldier]

I had my first dream about being the way I used to be.  I'm obviously not there and may never be, but I do hope that I can play soccer again and run fast.  It's been about 2.5 years since I played a season of soccer.  I always played defense, sweeper.  When I chased forwards down, I would kick in the afterburners and I felt like I was almost about to take off. 

So last night my wife and my boys went to play soccer with the usual friendly group of friends (soccer sort of became our church) and I stayed home, and putzed around fiddling with the tractor carburetor and getting mad at small gas engines, like the weed eater, that didn't work.  Anyway, I still get bummed out about not being able to do what I used to be able to do, like run, sprint, and play soccer.   I was down about it last night and then had a dream that I was running super fast with a bouncy gait, with no effort.  It was pretty cool.  I guess I know how someone in a wheel chair feels, except I can still walk and even run a little.     

Anyone else have dreams like that?

BTW - I don't want to discuourage any of the newbs about HR, like I said in several posts, I have no pain in the HR'd hip and the road to recovery is slow and steady and I'm happy to be doing it. 

[Anniee]

Hey Tin, I think you will be able to sprint if you want to, after you heal from your second hip surgery.  My friend who had her hip resurfaced 6 years ago does everything she wants to do - run, bike competitively, and teach aerobics.  :) She used to cry in her office at the end of the day because it hurt her so much to walk out to her car.  It is no fun to go through these surgeries, but I am positive that the results will be worth it and our lives will become normal again!

[ScubaDuck]

TS-

That was a pretty lame effort if you want to try and discourage me from getting HR.  You are how many weeks out from surgery and bummed because you can't play soccer yet?  Easy man.  You have years of enjoyment ahead of you.

I am still on track for my HR with Pritchett on August 1st.  Looking forward to running again.

Dan

[23109VC]

I'm about 3.5 months post op, and while i haven't tried to run, I think I could.....  I am going to follow the rules and wait until at least six months....

I wouldn't. Try to play soccer or racquetball....but I know I'll be able to soon!

Don't stress over it..be glad you are pain free in that hip and know you will continue to improve!

[Tin Soldier]

Thanks for the support.  I agree and I think this is just a small mental bump.  Overall, the benefits greatly outweigh the very few miniscule negatives.

[Lopsided]

I have had various dreams where I have been as strong as I used to be. But when I am awake and consider where I am, I don't think I have ever been doing better in life. I have got a family and can run and play with my children, and if I cannot be as strong as I was, I hope they grow to be healthier than me.

D.

[hernanu]

Hey Tin, I'm in the same boat, love that footie stuff and have not been playing for about 2 years. I am a bit further than you (9.5 months on the left, 6.5 on the right) and am now starting to see the light at the end of the "being ready for soccer" tunnel.  I've been doing the elliptical and bike for a while now, trying to get the stamina going, as well as linear motion with the hips.

I can do some good stretching now, started some light running - my equivalent of sprints, about thirty feet running straight, no cutting, very slow. Just like with everything else, I think I'll be progressing at a slow pace, especially with cutting. I want to have good strength in all directions before I play, since the fields that I play in are not the greatest, so I will need to stabilize as I run.

One thing I have noticed is that my feet get tired when exercising, and my calf muscles get very tight. I have to do the roller on them to loosen them up. I think (uninformed opinion) that my body is trying to "balance" too much on the balls of the feet when doing everything, probably from before the surgeries and I really need to concentrate on my stride when working out.

I'm shooting for next spring to take part in games - usually play striker, will definitely start on defense  ;D.

[newdog]

Tin,
I get down sometimes too. I think we look forward to after surgery and have thoughts about being "normal" again. But we still have months to go and sometimes longer. We are fixed but still not done yet. The pain is gone and we can move a lot better but we aren't ready to resume running, etc. I haven't had any dreams about any of this yet. It's a wonder considering that it's a large part of my life and has been for a long time. I still have those "underwear" dreams though. You know, when you are sitting at work or you are back in school and forgot to put your pants on. What the heck is that all about!!  ???

[hipnhop]

Tin, I am with you. I just want to run again. There's nothing like it.  I've been working out pretty hard with swimming and on the bike but it does not replace the love for running.

Staying active is keeping me sane. Although my unop hip hurts so bad, I am doing what I can. My BHR is doing so well - no problems.  It's is amazing. I too feel I could run on it but want to wait till four months before I try.  If it is compensating for the bad hip, I got to be careful.

I competed in a 2 mile open water swim last week. Came in 16 out of 20 in my age group.  I didn't care. Just knowing the I was under the knife less than three months ago and now racing made was priceless.

I am doing an Aquavelo this weekend (a 1.4 mile swim followed by a 56 mile bike). The only challenge is the non-op hip. I know the BHR is going to do it's job and a little for Mr/ Lefty (the unoperated one).

Find something that you semi enjoy doing till you get back on the field.  Join a Masters Swim group,
sign up for some Bike races, etc.  It is not the same as your sport but the need for competition and physical achievement should be satisfied. 

I try to look at it like this. If I focus on swimming (my weakest sport) and biking for the rest of the year, in 2012 when I return to Triathlons I will be a beast.  Kona I am coming back for you. See ya soon.

When are you doing the other hip.  I'm meeting with my surgeon tomorrow for scheduling.

Easy,

Hip

[hernanu]

It is tough to be in between, you see the possibilities in that your operated side is doing so well, but it just points out what your other side will be when you get it done. I only had 3 months in between, so I felt like I just got recuperated enough and then went again. Having both finished is awesome.

[Jeremy76761]

Hi Tin Man,

I enjoyed your post and can relate. I'm 36 and dx just a couple months ago with "moderate" hip OA and, like you, have an active past in sports like soccer and especially running including sprinting.  That feeling of natural power and speed that sprinting well provides is something to be missed. It's hard to give up something like that involuntarily. . . but it does seem that with a good surgeon, the hip resurfacing makes that possible.  Right?

Just like some of the others, my whole way of dealing with this thing is to build up swimming and biking so that after the HR I can compete in triathlons, something I personally never thought I'd do. So really, even a difficult think like OA can open up doors.

[ScubaDuck]

HipnHop

Wow you are an inspiration.  After a many year layoff I am back to swimming and biking regularly.  The thought of being able to do a triathlon again is motivating me.  Just the thought of being able to run is exciting.

I am doing about 9000 meters per week swimming and 150 km biking before my surgery.  I hope I can bounce back into those two sports as quickly as you did.

And then there is the dream of Kona...  I did Ironman in Canada 21 years ago and always wanted to do "The Big Kahuna".

Keep posting to keep me inspired.

Dan

[Tin Soldier]

Thanks again for all the posts.  Its pretty cool to know that there are others out there in damn near the exact place as yourself. 

HnH - I agree with your thoughts on simply doing some physical activity and doing well at it.  Walking to my PT's office (about 1 mile) has become a great enjoyment of mine.  I work on my stride, its a nice walk through the park and over the river and there are lots of folks out running.  It's very inspiring.  Each time I go a little faster and stretch out the stride.  It feels good.  I need to start swimming, I used to in high school and I actually like the quiet, the focus on the line, and the simplicity of it. 

Hip no. 2 is in August and as you and others have pointed out, the un-op hip is tough to work with.  I can't bicycle without lots of pain at the top of the stroke (flexion) and I think that limits my recovery of no. 1.  My PT is discharging me next week and wants to save my bene's for no.2.  I agree with him.  When he stretches the capsule, the strain across the groin is pretty bad.  If I bend my un-op leg, the lumbar region compensates.  Its pretty interesting to see how the body compensates. 

Jeremy - yes, according to many folks here and lots of good surgeons we will get back to a similar active lifestyle.  For me, being 42, having teenage boys, and dealing with the usual life stuff, I am accepting that I won't be as active or phyiscally fit as I used to.  However, I do expect to be continuing with the same sports but at a more age-appropriate level, if there is such a thing. 

Next dream will hopefully be about Cirque du Soleil. I want to jump and fly through the air like those guys.  That, I do not expect I will ever do for real.   

[nekko]

Hi Tin, I am also dreaming at going back to my favourite sport (Karate) , with lots of flying kicks and all this nice stuff. I think it is a way of our brains to compensate some kind of missing stuff. At 4 weeks post-op it is really too early for me to go back on the tatami. I have to wait at least 6 months. Therefore, I would like to be back on my mountain bike next week if my PT says OK.

I can walk on a short distance without crutches but I am still limping. So, I still need a cane to walk in a safe way. I am currently experimenting the "plateau" effect where the rehab process is going slower. I remember the key words seen many times on this forum: "be patient".... 

So, we are in the same boat

[hipnhop]

Tin don't cut yourself short.  I am using muscles I never used before my HR.  For example, two years ago I went to see a sports specialist about pain when running. She told me that for some reason my glutes weren't firing the way they were supposed to and my hip flexors were that of an 80 year old. I couldn't do a lying straight leg lift. Since the surgery I've been building those muscles which is giving me a more powerful kick in the water and pedal stroke on the bike. 


Who knows, we just might get better.

I am shooting for number two in Oct. Don't know if I can hold out that long.  Pain is getting worse. Might join you for an August date. Wanna race?